Dramatic Halo Eye Make up | NYX Glitter Pigment Review

Glitter is having a little moment in the make up industry right now. From OTT glitter cut creases dominating instagram, to covering dark under eye bags with glitter and products like unicorn snot and space jam popping up all over the place it's difficult not to be drawn in. Unfortunately for me glitter, more specifically glitter pigment, has been something I haven't had a great deal of experience with as a make up artist - which is a shame because I'm a fan. So in the last month or so I have been taking steps and working to change that and decided to pick myself up a couple of purse friendly pigments by my new high street fave, NYX cosmetics.

Unfortunately I still had to purchase these online, as my local Boots stores were either consistently out of stock or simply don't take them in very often. None the less I persevered and sucked up the 3 day delivery and I was granted my glittery wishes.

I decided to pick up 3 pretty subdued, more metallic shades, Vegas BABY! (which is a subtle sandy gold colour with hints of silver) Old Hollywood (a true gold) and Magnetic (a true metallic silver shade) All of them come in pretty small, dinky tubs (0.04oz), I'll be honest I was expecting more for £5.50 per pot but no matter I'm hoping these will last a good while.

I decided to give these a bash with a smokey, halo eye one day when I was having a practice with some new products and I decided to reach specifically for Vegas BABY! to help give me that brightness in the middle of my lid as is expected of a halo eye.

The pot looks a little like a salt shaker so I shook some of the product into the lid, which admittedly was not easy and it took a good few shakes to get out a decent amount of product, I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong but I couldn't get the lid off entirely at all! I then went in with a rounded, synthetic fibre brush with a little of NYX's Glitter Primer on it, picked up and packed the product on to the middle of my lid. It didn't take very much to achieve the effect I was after - the pigments are relatively fine so there wasn't a great deal of fall out and I was very impressed with the colour pay off!

The next time I use these I will instead be reaching for some of my setting spray or MAC Fix+ as I feel it may be a bit easier to pick up the product and pack it on using a slightly fluffier brush - though this is more of a criticism of the glitter primer than anything else. As I mentioned I am still disappointed in the size of the tubs, they will go nicely in my collection and not take up very much space however I still expected a bit more, and of course I don't very much like the salt shaker type lid - I would far rather have the option to take the entire lid off and spoon the product out for something quicker and easier.

If you are looking for a more purse friendly pigment than the likes of MAC, LA Splash or Illamasqua then head over to your local NYX counter and give these a bash - once you get the product out they are great to work with and the colours they offer are amazing!

Be sure to leave any comments or suggestions in the box below, otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook for more make up artistry by me and more of everything else on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

No Fuss Brush Cleaning Routine | Freedom Studio Solid Brush Bath Review

I may be the most easily influenced person on the planet. There I was quite content with my tried and tested brush cleaning routine (baby shampoo with a spritz of alcohol to disinfect and a blender cleanser for reusable foam sponges) when all of a sudden up pops THIS video by Andrew of Beauty and the Boy on Instagram showing, perhaps the easiest brush cleaning routine I have ever seen featuring this brush bath by Freedom Pro Studio.

No sooner had I clicked the like button than I had bought the solution to try for myself, and I must say if you're a no fuss, no muss no coconuts kind of person this may be the brush bath you've been searching for.

This sanitising brush cleanser works by swishing around your 'dirty' make up brush in some water, swirling it around in this little brush bath and rinsing the soapy solution (and make up residue) off under a running tap. And that is literally it! So in short, swish, swirl, rinse (trust me it's not a magic spell as much as it sounds like it!) 

Cleaning my brushes with this isn't a thought like it normally is -it is so quick and easy, it gets the job done and it helps in making your brushes smell lovely and clean. 

I of course always finish off my brush cleaning routine by leaving the brushes over night hanging over the edge of a counter on a dishtowel - this helps them maintain their shape and dry all around and top them off with a spritz of alcohol solution to ensure they are thoroughly disinfected.

The Freedom brush bath  retails at £7.00 for a 100ml tub - a little of this product really goes a long way and I can see myself using this for a long, long time to come. If you're looking for a cost effective, no fuss, no muss cleanser for your brushes I really do recommend checking out the Freedom range at your local Superdrug you really don't have to pay the world for an effective cleanser as some would have you belieive!

Hopefully you have enjoyed checking out this new product with me, be sure to let me know in the comments below if you do decide to give this a bash - at £7.00 for me it was a no brainer considering how often I wash my brushes! Otherwise you can catch me lurking on all of the usual channels, Twitter for rants and musings, Facebook for make up artistry, Instagram for snaps and more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

MAC Facebook Giveaway | Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry

In celebration of reaching 500 likes on my business Facebook page and the relaunch of Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry following our big move in September I'm hosting another MAC giveaway.7

How to enter:

Visit my Facebook page right here to enter, all you have to do is like my page, the post and comment which MAC lipstick you'd like, to be in with a chance of winning!

Thank you again to all of you out there keeping up with my weekly beauty and make up artistry shenanigans right here, and of course everyone along the way who has supported my new venture. I hope to have lots and lots of big news and updates for you in the coming months as I'm working alongside new businesses and really trying to give it my all, but for now good luck in my second MAC giveaway and be sure to find me on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin' and of course Facebook.

Until next time folks, 

H.Elizabeth x

Building my Pro MUA Kit | FalseEyelashes.co.uk Haul

False eyelashes may be my biggest expenditure to date. Forget the MAC foundations and the Bobbi Brow liners, forget the Kylie lip kits and Too Faced eyeshadow, the real and greatest expense of being a make up artist comes from your disposables (so cotton pads, cotton buds, micellar water and baby wipes) But what's my biggest disposable? Lashes. Lashings and lashings of lashes. You see the thing with lashes is, once they're gone, they're gone. They aren't reusable, you can't cut a lash in half and use the other half for someone else (gross) so if you have 4 ladies needing a face, that is 4 pairs of lashes, roughly costing £20 - £25 if you use Eylure from Superdrug / Boots as I have. Naturally this couldn't continue if I wanted to continue pursing my Make Up Artistry career and I decided to go on the hunt for a cheaper similar quality alternative. 

 

 

That is when I discovered falseeyelashes.co.uk who not only stock my tried and tested Eylue lashes at a lower cost, but American / Canadian brands I was otherwise unable to get my hands on in Scotland. Ardell, Red Cherry, Peaches and Cream, Eyecandy and even Mink lashes (not sure how I feel about these) And not only is the website cost effective but the delivery was super quick too, I for example, placed an order on the Saturday night and received my lashes by Tuesday. With that in mind today I thought I would share some of the lashes I picked up in my first ever pro false lash haul.

Ardell Demi Wispies Multipack (4 pairs for £11.99)
If you're a beauty blogger or watch a lot of beauty you tubers then you'll have seen these lashes kicking about pretty much every where. The Demi Wispies are Ardells most popular lash and it's not hard to see why. They're textured, they're lengthening and they'll really help open up your eye as they fan out towards the sides which I love! As you can see I picked up two of these as I can see these being a very popular choice with the girls who visit me in Blush.

Ardell 105 Glamour Multipack (4 pairs for £11.99)

For the bold and fearless ladies looking for a bit more glamour in their lives! These lashes are super long, super full, super voluminous and will be really lovely for those ladies who are heading for a night on the town. 

Eylure Lash Edit - Paris Set (3 pairs for £6.95)

Okay admittedly these are sort of for me, but of course if someone spies them in my kit and wants to give them a good go, then I will not stop them (I may cry but we'll carry on!) These ones are a bit cheaper than the New York set (RRP £9.95) but I don't know why. You get good day lash, a good voluminous evening lash and of course something for those in between moments. These would be classes as lengthening and voluminous as opposed to textured, great for when you've got minimal eye make up but still want to make a statement.

Red Cherry Lashes (Complimentary gift)
With my order came these Red Cherry Lashes which the company must be trying to shift, but hey I'm not complaining I got free lashes! I have never tried Red Cherry personally but I have seen a lot of beauty based You Tubers who have used them in tutorials so I'm looking forward to giving these a go regardless.

Hopefully ordering this way and trying, experimenting and using new styles means I will find something a bit more appropriate for my kit and of course something that the ladies in my chair will love! As for you lovely lot I hope you have enjoyed this post, leave a comment below telling me what you favourite style of lashes are or your favourite brand and I'll be sure to check those out during my next haul. As per I'm on the usual socials, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and more from the blog on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, lashes so long!!!

H.Elizabeth x

Too Faced | Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette Review

Am I a bit late to the party? Probably, but then again aren't I always? Today I just wanted to share with you my new fave, my new bae if you will, who I picked up during my recent travels and jaunt to Sephora which I have literally been using to make up my face every day (every day I leave the house) and that is the Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar palette.

Having previously been a hardcore advocate of MAC eyeshadow palettes and investing quite a deal of time and money in them I just have to say, don't waste your damn time! (What a 360 right?) Too Faced, as the rest of the world undoubtedly knows by now, are well known for their melted liquid lipsticks and their eyeshadow palettes who famously smell as they are named, in this case rich chocolatey goodness which just makes playing with make up that much sweeter.

The semi sweet palette is a slightly deeper and richer version of Too Faced's ever popular chocolate bar palette and contains a range of finishes such as glitter, shimmer and matte shades which can help you create a wide range of looks just from a handful of colours, whether you're into natural, barely there make up, or dramatic, bold, draggy styles (like me!). The colours are all named after sweets of some form or description and so far my favourite 'go to' shades for every day have been peanut butter, mousse and puddin' but their shimmer shades caramel and bon bon are GORGEOUS. The colours are all highly pigmented and easy to apply which is a must for me as one of my peeves is eyeshadow you really have to work into the brush! 

I do plan on purchasing more Too Faced shadow palettes in future, namely their newest Sweet Peach range which looks great and light for the summer time (and I also hear smells divine) You can pick up Too Faced products at Sephora, however if you can't afford the plane fare I know you can get your hands on them in select Debenhams stores.

Hopefully you have enjoyed this super quick, super snappy and super sweet review of the Too Faced Semi Sweet palette, I'd love to hear just what you think of their products in the comments below, Tweet over your recommendations for other shadow brands or of course if you'd just like to see how I've been using the palette head over to my Instagram and Facebook page.

Until next time, feelin' sweet!

H.Elizabeth x

Eylure Enchanted | Adored, Cherished & Beloved Lashes

Okay if there's one thing that can be said about me it's that I love, love, love false eyelashes! In fact I'd go as far as to say I'm a connoisseur of the false lash, a falsie addict, an artiste when it comes to application and I'm always looking to try new styles, products and make up techniques to enhance my own lashes. So upon buying the latest limited edition collection by Eylure I was excited to say the least and I expected to love and take these lashes in as my own go to gals! I was sadly mistaken and bitterly disappointed!

These lashes, where do I even begin, perhaps with the oddly formed band which can neither be trimmed to fit my lashes without looking ridiculously out of shape nor fit my shape naturally (a feat I have long admired the Eylure range for) Or shall it be how ridiculously uncomfortable these lashes are? Never have I ever been more uncomfortable while wearing a set of false lashes, and I have NEVER been so uncomfortable that I'd rip them off halfway through the day, but hey there is a first for everyhing. Alas this is what happened not once, not even twice but three times with these lashes as they're simply ALL as uncomfortable as the next.

Honestly, these lashes look so beautiful that I literally bought one from each set so now I'm lumbered with these devil lashes who want nothing more than to see me suffer! I implore you not to go for the enchanted collection (no worries Eylure it isn't all your fault) I for one LOVED their Katy Perry and Girls Aloud lashes and I've got to say I'm a big, big fan of their House of Holland lashes as well as their regular texture and lengthening lashes, so do try and test what you like to find your own falsie style (but not enchanted!) 

Sorry that this was something of a rant but I just wanted to warn you and spare you the scratched lids and dry eyes that these lashes offer you everything but the Enchanted experience you may be expecting! 

Did you get your hands on these? What did you think of them? Maybe it was just me? Be sure to let me know in the comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or if you'd just like to see me making faces we can catch up on Facebook and Instagram!

Until next time folks, no these were NOT the lashes I was looking for!

H.Elizabeth x

Not another MAC Haul | My Recent MAC Haul

It's for the kit, I swear it's for the kit... well at the very least it's for research purposes! Yes I am indeed coming back to you today with another MAC haul but this time guys, I didn't buy ANY lip products of any description (I'll pause right here for the gasps) nope instead I ventured forth into some more weird and wonderful products that MAC have had to offer the beauty world of late and today I'd like to share just what I picked up this time.

MAC Eye brushes (217 and 224)
Though I do love my Zoeva brushes sometimes you've just got to see what else is out there you know. And as the beauty bloggers and vloggers of the world have been screaming and SCREAMING about the MAC 217 brush I thought why not? It is a flat eye brush which I think I'll use to pick up and apply pigment as well as shading and blending. The 224 brush I picked up on a whim, I love crease brushes and this one looks as though it will deliver some more precise application than my current Zoeva crease brush does.

MAC Mini Prep and Prime Fix + Spray

Prep and prime has been around in the beauty world since the times of yore. It can be sprayed on your bare face to absorb additional moisture into the skin and give you a lovely dewy look, it can be applied to your beauty blender before pushing product into the skin and some have even used it as a finishing spray. I myself have been dampening my eye brushes with this spray and using it to pick up and apply glittery or more shimmery pigments to give me a 3D effect on my eyelid.

MAC Cream Colour Base in the shade Luna
I was told in the store that this was a limited edition colour base product but I'm sure it's still available! Sneaksy store lady, sneaksy! I got this because I felt it would look fab as a cream highlight, it's so soft and buttery and just glides over the top of my foundation (liquid) and has helped give me that gorgeous dewy, strobe effect that folks have been loving for spring / summer.

MAC Studio Eye Gloss in the shade Pearl Varnish
After I spotted these out of stock gorgeous glosses in Barcelona I knew I had to have one, so when I returned to MAC in Aberdeen I was on a mission! Luckily I managed to get my hands on this pearl varnish shade. I have not been brave enough to use this yet through fear of sticking my eyelids open or something drastic but I'm looking forward to creating some dramatic, wet look eyes with these one day soon.

See, I didn't do too badly did I? Since writing this post I have also stocked my kit with a few shades of the MAC Face and Body foundations which are great for bridal make up as well as work on photo shoots (which I did in fact use them for recently) and of course and as always I do still have my eye on a few MAC lippys (I will be strong, I will be strong)

I'd love for you to alleviate my guilt and share with me just what you've been buying in MAC or elsewhere recently! Be sure to share your hauls and best buys in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you just want to see what I've been doing to folks faces recently you can find me on Instagram and Facebook!

Until next time folks, MACing life!

H.Elizabeth x

MUA Moans | The True Cost of Make up artistry

Since embarking on my new make up artistry journey over these last few months I really do feel as though I've seen it all, the good, the bad and the ugly (i.e. unblended shadow, unblended shadow EVERYWHERE!) But in all seriousness today, I'd quite like to address a post that sort of made my blood boil recently on one of the many many MUA / wedding forums on Facebook relating to one bride in particular who quite simply saw her wedding and make up for the day as a god given right. 

The post in question was from a lady down south who wanted to give one 'learning but highly skilled' make up artist the privilege of working on her face for her wedding FREE of charge instead paying the artist in exposure, and her reason? She does not have it in her allocated wedding budget to pay a make up artist but is quite happy for whichever poor soul she is able to rope in to this utter, utter scam to take pictures of her on her big day. Now I'm sure all of you creatives out there have come across this at some point in your life, and it is RIFE in the wedding industry, with a lot of brides expecting free trials, free alterations, photographs, you name it! After seeing this post and understandably feeling a bit tetchy I sat down to write this post and basically outline the main three reasons make up artists charge what they charge.

Time

Time is quite a large factor when it comes to charging for various make up artistry. For example an evening make up will take less time than a bridal appointment. But people forget that it isn't just time spent with your client, it's time drawing up face charts and contracts, it's time sitting down with your client and discussing their requirements, it's time sanitizing your kit and making sure you're giving your client the best possible experience and service, and particularly for those working in a salon or studio, for brides it's time spent away from that salon.

High Quality Products
I've seen people screw their faces at being charged £30 or so for occasion make up, but did you know that some of the individual products your artist is using can cost upwards of £30, particularly if they stock brands such as MAC. So you're not just paying for time, application and knowledge but the products too. Some artists will use your own foundation and your own products if you request this and they'll charge you at a lower rate but generally you want the best of the best for your big day or event and at the end of the day you're paying for use of their kit.

Expertise
Just like any other profession you're paying your artist to use knowledge they've studied and acquired through various courses, degrees, training and painstaking hours spent getting those flicks on fleek! Basically your artist has put a great deal of work into their craft and it ain't cheap for them either. It's a bit like if you hired a decorator to help you achieve the dream home you've always wanted, would you expect this service for free, or ask your handyman to do this for the experience? Probably not.

Now obviously this is a very quick, thrown together and basic list of just why you're being charged that £30, but there is so much more. From advertising and marketing yourself to researching new products, keeping on top of the current trends, travelling to various locations, replacing disposables on a weekly basis and generally working your arse off to man and own your one person business (and guys that's the TIP of the iceberg)

Have you ever had your make up done professionally? Did you find it was worth the money or were you left questioning why you were charged so much? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, come share your brain with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see more faces you can visit me on Instagram and Facebook.

Until next time folks.

H. Adams Make Up Artistry x

My First Ever | NYX Haul Boots Union Square

Hallelu, NYX has come to the Granite City, Union Square to be exact and I could not be more excited! I have seen so many rave reviews for NYX products from my favourite beauty bloggers and vloggers out there, but my are they difficult to get your hands on for a good ole swatch sesh especially in the UK. But today the good old Granite has been blessed with a brand new NYX counter in Boots, Union Square and naturally I was first in line to trial and push my very own purse to it's limits.

NYX Jumbo Liner in the shade Milk
I have never seen a You Tuber who hasn't used this jumbo liner. Whether they're using it as a base, as an actual liner or for SFX inspired tutorials this was just something I knew I had to get my grubby wee mitts on!

NYX Colour Corrector Palette
Some may say colour correcting is over but in the world of make up artistry, nu uh honey! Colour correcting has been around since the times of yore and long may it continue!

NYX Yellow Colour Correct Concealer
Dark circles....nuff said. Swatch after swatch I got excited at the quality of the product so I'm excited to see how this stands the test of time...and sweat.... and smile lines.

NYX Vivid Bright Liquid Liner in the shade Sapphire 
As I've been dabbling in a few more dramatic looks, what can be more dramatic than an electric, sapphire blue liquid liner!?! Stay tuned for some of my more quirky, out there looks in future.

NYX Soft Matte lip cream in the shades Cannes and London
No matter how hard I try, I cannot escape these nudey, brown, red colours. Like a moth to a flame! And I've heard through the grapevine that these can serve as fantastic, low cost dupes for some of the bigger, high end matte lip creams....only time will tell!

NYX Liquid Suede lipstick in Stone Fox
Well I wished for a black which was blacker than black but I had to settle for a slate. As I mentioned above I'm looking to practice a few more 'out there' and SFX inspired looks in the coming months so I thought this would do nicely. Stay tuned for the verdict of course!

Once again, thank you for reading and helping me alleviate some of those guilty feelings I've been having since spending a fair bit on these products! I will be posting more in depth reviews of the individual products once I have trialled and tested them for a significant period so do stay tuned for that. As per you can catch me mulling about on the usual channels, Twitter for rants and musings, Instagram for made up faces, Facebook for business and Bloglovin for more of the above!

Until next time folks, sweet dreams my NYX!

H.Elizabeth x

Kylie Jenner Lip Kits | First impressions

Yes, sue me, I fell for the hype, yet again, and you know something? I don't regret anything (#noregrets #YOLO) So yes, I stayed up until midnight, yes I furiously typed my card details in at a pace that would make roadrunner puff, and okay yes I put up with the cray, cray shipping charges that cosmetics from America tend to cost all to purchase not one, not two, but three of Kylie Jenner's much coveted lip kits.

After trying a couple of times previously and having my items removed from the basket due to sell outs at the final hurdle I admit I wasn't holding out much hope to get all three shades I had been after, but funnily enough I managed (much to my husband and bank balances dismay!) *Quick tip, I managed to bag mine quite quickly and easily, with time to spare it seemed as I went for the older colours the day Kourt K was released so that might help a little if you're still trying to get yours.  

This time around I got my hands on Dolce K, Koko K and Mary Jo K, all of which were just different enough for me to justify buying all three! Another word of advice, never ladies and gentleman, base your purchases on the colour swatches you see online. I learned this as all three shades look so much more intense and darker on my pale skin tone, which I had expected anyway so it wasn't an unpleasant surprise. Mary Jo K is a red rose red, Dolce K is what I would have expected of True Brown but can be described as a milky coffee and Koko K is a coffee pink colour which I think is my favourite so far!

Now does the formula hold up? In short yes, the wear on these lipsticks and their liners (buttery AF) is incredible, they last all day without needing a top up (as long as you're not oiling your lips up!) and they look fantastic all day too. As with any and all liquid lipsticks they're not magical! So you do have to exfoliate and moisturise your lips properly to give yourself as smooth a base as possible for application, that way you ensure your lips will stay beautiful and pout perfect all day long.

Overall I'm really really pleased with these liquid lipsticks, they're the best and least drying formula I've tried thus far, they look fantastic and they're less than the cost of a MAC lipstick and liner (and that was with postage!). I'm a little concerned with running out of the liner a little prematurely but I hear liners may be in the works to being sold individually as well as in the kits and my only other concern is when the hell I can get my hands on more!!!!

Have you been able to get your hands on a Kylie Lip Kit? What are your thoughts on them, I would love to hear your thoughts! Be sure to leave your mind in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram even, or if you'd like to keep up with the Kylie Jenner lip kit addicts you can follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, obsessed!

H.Elizabeth x

Ooops I tripped! | Sephora Haul

Woops...what can I say guys, I um... tripped and fell straight into Sephora on our travels recently, and then I tripped again and again, counter to counter until I racked up quite a hefty bill. What can I say? I'm just that clumsy, but on the bright side not only have I totally buffed out my kit, got some great new products to play with and found a few new firm favourites, but I've also got something to blog about! Isn't it great when these things work out? So without further ado and going into too too much detail here is my special Spanish Sephora haul.

Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate PaletteToo Faced are quickly becoming more and more known for their eyeshadow palettes here in the UK, and after watching a fair few tutorials and giving it a great deal of thought I decided to go for the slightly cooler toned Semi Sweet Chocolate Palette. Stick around for my full review in the future as well as a couple of looks I've been loving creating recently. And yes guys...it really does smell like chocolate and it's awesome!

Too Faced Bulletproof Brows KitI've been on the hunt for a good brow gel for a while and I've got to be honest, I'm not entirely sure this is it, but I'm more than willing to give it a good go for a while. Having been a brow pencil addict through and through I think it'll take an adjustment but hey, I'll try anything once!

Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in NudeY'all know how I love my liquid lipsticks. Having dabbled with Revlon, LA Splash and more recently Kylie Cosmetics I fancied picking up just one more to add to the collection and you know for...research purposes! I picked this one up in nude and it was love at first swatch, I'm looking forward to testing out the formula and giving it a good ole comparison post in the future.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in VanillaHype, hype, hype. The higher end version of my much loved collection concealer (a considerably cheaper and amazing alternative for those on a budget) so I'm looking forward to seeing how this holds up compared to it's counterpart.

Nars Highlighting Blush in AlbatrossHaven't we all just gots to get that glow? I've been testing out quite a few different highlighting products recently including creams, blush, colour correct techniques by brands such as MAC, Revlon, Bourjois... all sorts really. When I swatched this Nars product in Sephora (admittedly having never heard of it before) it was love, and I now hold it as my own favourite and a kit favourite!

Sephora EyeshadowsSephora eyeshadows have never been something I've heard raved about, but I'm absolutely baffled as to why. I decided to pick up a couple of gold, coppery shades in a glitter and a shimmer simply because of how darn pigmented my swatches in store were (stay tuned!)

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara (sample size) & Too Faced Hangover Primer (sample size)

As a wee prize for spending so much on Too Faced cosmetics I was given a couple of samples to take away, one being the much coveted and raved about Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara and the Too Faced Hangover Primer.

Well now I have repented my sins and cleansed my soul, I feel so much better, now I just need to give my bank balance a bit of time to heal! What do you guys think of my picks? Is there anything you would have picked up in addition? Be sure to leave your comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see EVEN MORE make up you can visit me on Facebook and Instagram!

Until next time folks, repent, repent, repent!

H.Elizabeth x

Building my Pro MUA Kit | Bobbi Brown BBU Palette

As a new make up artist it can be a challenge working out just where to start when it comes to building your kit and when it comes to specifics like foundations, eyeshadows, blushes, you sort of just want to throw your brushes in the air and hide away from it all, because there is just....SO....MUCH...CHOICE. But I have found that a great place to start is with one great go to palette that can take you through concealers, colour correctors AND foundations without having to fiddle about with individual bottles and go through the dramas and nightmares that come with picking and choosing different shades.

Following some advice from my GC tutor as well as a bit of research online I decided to opt for the Bobbi Brown BBU palette. Bobbi Brown is a brand who focus namely on skin and not masking your natural beauty but rather enhancing it, perfect if you're working with a bride or someone who isn't quite used to wearing quite as much make up as someone like me is. The BBU palette is made up of Bobbi Browns signature cream foundation sticks in all the colours of the skin tone rainbow, as well as creamy concealers and colour correctors that ought to help you handle anything life and face throws at you from dark circles to redness, wrinkles and skin discolouration, this is your go to.

Again this is a product that is best warmed up and placed on the face using your fingers and then going in and working with a brush or damp beauty blender to buff it into the skin. Personally I have been buffing the product into the skin using a Real Techniques Expert Face brush and getting rid of any lines with a damp sponge or beauty blender. Though the foundation is made to offer a light coverage the product is fairly buildable and if you wanted you could go back in with some darker  and lighter concealers and foundation colours to create some contoured and highlighted effects on the face the formula is just that versatile.

Having used this on pretty much ALL of the clients I have had so far I am pleased to report I haven't really ran into any issues, and none of the ladies I've had in my chair have complained of a reaction or anything from the formula (though skin prep is always a useful skill to employ so I will do a post on skin prep in the future for those of you who are wondering)

The palette is a little more on the pricey side, retailing at around £200, and I wouldn't recommend getting this if you're not planning on pursuing a career in make up artistry because DAMN GIRL these are expensive, but they do literally have any and all of the colours you're going to need so as a make up artist consider this as a necessary evil... I mean investment.... woops.

Again I hope you have enjoyed this little, teensy weensey peek into my make up artistry kit,  I of course have a far more extensive skin, foundation, concealer and skincare range than this, so if you are interested in seeing just what it is I use on dry skin, oily skin or even the skin prep I do for any skin types be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments below! Otherwise you can catch me and my varying alter egos on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and of course more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, Bobbi, you are bae!

H.Elizabeth 

Everybody makes mistakes | My Biggest Ever Beauty Blunders

Even make up artists can get it wrong sometimes. When I was a children boy did I make a good few facial doozies when it came to my make up application, technique, product choices, let's just say, if it could go wrong it did. So today in light of my recent trips down memory lane (i.e. my old Facebook profile pictures) I thought I would share my biggest and baddest ever beauty blunders and hopefully prevent some of you younglings from making my mistakes.

Liquid liner in my waterline

In what world is this a good idea, particularly for an individual with me who has watery eyes? Liquid liner and damp areas simply do not mix, it's a recipe for gooping, running, smearing and unfortunately coloured eye gunk, my goodness the eye gunk! Don't follow in my footsteps, be smart, pick the pencil!

Using only my right hand to apply mascara

I'm not sure why I regarded my left had as the inferior helper when it came to mascara, but when I first ever got my hands on that coveted Rimmel Volume Flash mascara I refused to let my left hand do any helping. Resulting in overly coated lashes which unfortunately flaked all over the sink (sorry mum) as well as my school uniform through the day, and if I was REALLY unlucky a big blob of thick black mascara over the bridge of my nose, guys it's called goth mascara chic okay?

Ill coloured foundation

Top of every 20 something girls list of beauty blunders seems to be the highly sought after Dream Matte Mousse by Maybelline,  which I bought in seemingly every colour BUT the one that made my face match my neck! Not only did I completely miss the mark where my skin tone was concerned but I totally misread what my skin wanted and needed, and that my friends was intense moisture which, clue in the name, a matte foundation just wasn't going to give me. Woops, sorry face! 

Using my fingers as application tools

You name it, I applied it with my fingers, be it foundation, be it concealer, eyeshadow (what a mess!) you name it I had it ALL OVER MY FINGERS! Now I'm not saying using your (clean and sanitised) fingers isn't great for really warming the product up and pushing it into areas that need that coverage (i.e. eye primers, concealers etc) but when you're smearing your black as night eyeshadow and hot pink glitter pigment across your lids like war paint, it might be time to invest in some finer tools.

Using frosted eyeshadow to fill in my brows

Forgive me fleeky for I have sinned. It could be said my under plucked, non waxed or styled brows were absolutely not on fleek, and this carried on until I was about 20! That's how recent my blunders are bringing me. I would (sigh) dust brown eyeshadow with a cheapy applicator across my brows all to match my hair..... enough said really right? Don't do this! Get your brows shaped and invest in a brow pencil at the very least.

Dazzle dusting all of the things

Who remembers the Barry M dazzle dust pots? I know my mum does since I spilled an entire black pot on her pristine and clean flooring at the tender age of 15 (I've said sorry okay?!) At the time, of course being a hardcore advocate of using my fingers as my primary make up tools I would get this stuff everywhere, I always applied it dry, and for some reason it always seemed to be black! To be quite fair though the fallout did sometimes make me look like I had chic, high fashion black freckles, though most of the time it did just look as though I had been chimney sweeping. If you're going to use a pure glitter pigment I seriously suggest using a damp brush to pick it up and press it on to the area you want it (and you know put down a tonne of black bags to protect your floors)

Hopefully in some way this has helped you, saved your adolescence perhaps or maybe even just made you cringe laugh at my misfortunes, either way it's a win! I'm sure in future I'll look back at myself in my early 20s and cringe at whatever I'm doing now, who knows maybe winged liner and bold brows will be ridiculed in future (NAT!) Make sure you leave your biggest beauty blunders and downfalls in the comments below, if at the very least to make me feel like a bit less of a twat, come share them with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or you can just keep up with my recent cringes on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, blundering my way through the MUA world!

H.Elizabeth

Prep and Prime | Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo

 

As you lovely ladies and gentlemen should know by now, I've always been all about that base, and these days it's not just my face base I'm obsessing over. Nope, it could be said I like to cover all of my bases and none seem more important than our eye base. They say eyes are the windows to the soul, and I love nothing more than decorating mine with some of the finest drapings my local make up counters have to offer. But what I don't love is when my shadow slips, slides or worse gathers in my crease! But luckily there are so so many products out there that can not only stop your eyes from slipping down to your chin or crawling into your hairline, but give you  a fierce, fierce colour pop that you can create a multitude of looks with, and today I'm going to share one of my faves, the Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo.

These cream shadow products come in a wide range of colours and finishes, from mattes to shimmers and even a leather finish came on the go a while ago and whether you're just using this as an eyeshadow as intended or the way I use mine as a primer then you're set to achieve an eye poppin' look. As you can see I have mine in a multitude of colours from their creamy neutral creme de nude to my deep dark pomegranate shimmer which was my go to favourite during the holiday season and finally my brand new colour pops of teal and purple. But today I'm going to focus on my creme de nude as this is what I typically use for a base. 

If I'm working on a client with these I'll pop some of the product out onto the back of my hand and work through it with a brush and gently press the product across the entire eye lid and go back in with my ring finger to press it on that little bit more and blend it so there are no creases. If however I'm working on myself I'll take some on my finger and gently rub and press it along my eye lid and socket, this typically works much better than a brush because the product will have warmed up and will be easier to apply and move, but of course brushes are just fine they simply take a little longer.To set that in place I'll take an eyeshadow that is around the same colour as my skin tone, perhaps a little darker if I'm going for a dramatic look and sweep that all across my lid where I placed the colour tattoo product.. This will help set the primer and mattify your lid so colours you go in with from this point are true to form. You should now be good to go with whatever eyeshadow drapings and looks you desire because my dear your eyeballs are prepped and primed! 

These colour pots retail at £4.99 each but usually there is a deal on in Boots so you could end up getting a 3 for 2 or walk away with a gift of some sort. As you can see these are far, far more cost effective than their high end counterparts from MAC, but of course the only downside is that they don't quite have the range of colours or finishes as the paint pots in MAC.

Let me know in the comments below if you've ever tried using these coloured shadows as eye bases, how did you find them? Or have you found something that's even better than Maybelline? As per I hope this was helpful, useful in some way, maybe funny or maybe I've just aided in your procrastination of the day! Either way I'm more than happy to oblige. If you want to procrastinate even further come chat with me on Twitter, like my new make up snaps on Instagram or you could just stick around and follow the blog using Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, this ain't no slip n slide!

H.Elizabeth x

Updated Brush Cleaning Routine | How to care for your brushes

You guys will maybe remember that about a year and a half ago I shared with you just how I was cleaning my collection of make up brushes of the time, you remember, all 5 of them.. Well today I'm here to tell you to scrap that, because with my new found MUA in training wisdom I'm here to lay down some truths, home skillet, on how you should really be cleaning your make up brushes so as to avoid the dreaded fallout (it can actually be avoided, trust me) 

When you think about it all of the tips and tricks I'm about to share with you really ought to be common sense and it all revolves around the make up and design of your actual brushes themselves, but if you don't know, you just don't know. Your brush bristles are glued in to the base of your brush, but that base doesn't go as far as you can see, it goes even further usually going right to the base of your handle, so if you get warm water or really any foreign liquid into the brush you'll loosen the glue bonds to the point where eventually your bristles will fall out.

With that firmly in mind, here are my biggest do's and don'ts when it comes to safely caring for your facial tools:

DON'T submerge your brushes in water. Water will loosen your glue bonds and fall out will occur over time.

DON'T tap your brush on the side of a counter or on your hand to remove excess powder, this can also loosen glue bonds. Instead Potter it up with a graceful swish and flick.

BEAUTY BLENDERS should be placed in a pillow case and washed in the washing machine (sorry guys but this is the only way to effectively sterilize them)

MUA TIP: DO wash your brushes after every client you've worked on, don't compromise on cleanliness when your business is on the line!

DO hold your brush downwards at an angle under a slowly running tap to help wash your brushes. NEVER hold them upwards as water will enter the base of the brush and .. you  guessed it.. loosen the glue bonds.

DO use a gently cleansing shampoo such as Johnson's Baby Shampoo to wash the product out of your brushes and gently swirl them in the palm of your hand to work a gentle lather.

DO rinse them thoroughly always holding them downwards at an angle.

DO lightly spritz your make up brushes with an alcohol solution such as surgical spirit to keep them squeaky clean and free from bacteria.

DON'T dry your brushes roughly with a towel, instead dab them to remove excess water.

DO reshape your brushes and leave the tips of your brushes hanging over the edge of a counter so they don't lose their shape.

DO store your brushes in a safe, clean place such as a make up brush belt, or you could even store them upright in a wee decorative pot, as you see many MUA's and beauty bloggers doing (for the pics guys, for the pics!)

If you follow the above tips, theoretically your brushes should last you a good few years, in fact my Glam Candy coach had a brush in her collection that she has had for 15 years, so just let that sink in for a moment!

Hopefully some of you have found this helpful, I know this has worked wonders for the tools in my kit in that I haven't had to rush out and replace my brushes every month or so. Be sure to leave your top brush cleaning tips in the comments below, come share them with my on my Twitter, Insta, Bloglovin whatever and wherever you fancy, I'm just a beep boop away!

Until next time folks, I'm gonna wash that tan right out of my brush!

H.Elizabeth x

Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry

Well guys, it looks as though this has snowballed doesn't it? Today I launched Hannah Adams Make Up Artistry professional services for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire on Facebook and hopefully I'll get myself all sorted with a new website very very soon. Over on the page I plan on sharing what's in my kit, which looks and techniques I've been loving, faces I've been working on and of course any beauty features I be writing on here.

I'd love it if you'd head on over, give me a cheeky wee 'like' and of course if you're a blushing bride, aspiring model or you're just looking to get all glam for your next night out give me a buzz. I can come to you (if you're in Aberdeen!) you can come to me, the sky is very much the limit. 

Before I sign off I just want to say a big thank you to my friends and family for helping me start up my exciting new venture, with a particular shout out to my hubby who has put up with my moans, groans of setting up and of course the glitter and pigments ALL OVER the living room and kitchen...bathroom...bedroom...car...on the cat, everywhere really! 

Though I have launched my professional services to all of you lovely ladies and of course gentlemen out there I would still love to work with any local photographers and models who want to try a few more creative bits and cut my teeth on some more 'out there' edgy looks so do get in touch by emailing hannahadamsmua@gmail.com if you've got any ideas or shoots in mind.

As usual you can keep up with my own latest looks and portfolio images (and the occasional foodie post) on Instagram, you can still catch me chit chatting on Twitter and now of course Facebook!

Until next time folks, this is Hannah Adams, professional make up artist signing off!

H.Elizabeth x

Face Off with the Body Shop | Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Who doesn't want to slather butter all over their face on a nightly basis in the name of beauty? To be quite honest as a former 'fat kid' that's kind of my idea of heaven and thanks to the Body Shop my dream has become my reality, now I've just got to tick off giant edible gingerbread house and I'm all set for life (another job for the Body Shop?) Move over micellar, get out of the way cleanser it's all about balms, butters and basically the ability to melt your face off.

As you guys perhaps deduced from my last couple of posts my beauty routine has had a serious ice bucket challenge wake up call through these last few weeks. This is namely due to my shameful overuse and abuse of make up wipes which dried out my skin so badly that my face looked worse than nuked (yes nuked, not naked) Superman (comic / movie geeks know what I'm talking about!) And what would you know, the Body Shop held the answer!

I'm sick of Micellar waters, and I'm so over using a separate eye make up remover, it's costly and I always feel like I'm wasting so much product, not to mention damaging the skin around my eyes with rubbing! Enter the Camomile Cleansing Butter. The product retails at £13, which at first I thought was a bit expensive, but I have been using this for a couple of months now and I've only just hit pan! It comes in a 90ml round tin, smells divine and is designed with all skin types in mind. So there's no need worry if you're excessively dry, overly oily, extremely sensitive or you're just a hoverer like me, the forumla is designed to be gentle enough to suit everybody, and bonus, it can be used to remove all types of make up, that's right even waterproof mascara!

To remove your make up you rub your fingers into the product to warm it up and get a little on your hands, and you basically rub it all over your face and melt your make up away. Now at first I got in SUCH a mess, honestly I looked like I was set to go to war or I had just come back from a day of chimney sweeping, needless to say this was not the smokey eye look I was going for! But all of the trauma is short lived when you wash it all off in the sink and marvel at just how much product you had on your face that day. There's something that is just so satisfying about seeing how much make up you've had on your face all wash away in the sink (not so much when you think of how much it all cost though!)

What I love about this product is that it has made something I used to consider a chore a more enjoyable experience and it's so so quick to do it honestly takes less than a minute, and eye make up? GONE completely. My skin isn't dry anymore, it isn't red or rough from constant rubbing with pads, it feels much softer, and after using this product it smells fantastic (not that my skin had a particularly unpleasant aroma before!) I highly, highly recommend purchasing the Camomile Cleansing Butter at least once in your life I implore you people, and if we're friends IRL come to my house and give it a go!!!

I hope you have enjoyed yet another peek into my new updated skincare and beauty favourites, if you'd like me to do something that's a little more specific for example a look into my skincare routine, a look inside my kit at my go to skincare products then please do let me know in the comments below. Otherwise you can catch me on the usual channels Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and of course the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, butter me up boys!

H.Elizabeth x