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

Thirsty Skin | Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment Review

Who doesn't love a good face mask? Having been a big fan of Lush fresh face masks for a good few years now suffice to say face masks have become part of my weekly skincare routine, however recently with life being a bit of a crazy, speeding rollercoaster I haven't had very much time to dedicate to a weekly pamper routine like I used to, and I find my face masks go out of date before I get a chance to get the full use out of them. As sad as it feels to admit, the Lush fresh face masks just aren't practical for my lifestyle anymore and so I have been on the hunt for something a bit more durable, long lasting and something I can dip into without having to worry about use by dates and mould. Enter GlamGlow.

Skincare centric brand GlamGlow are by no means new to the scene - as usual I'm late to the big beauty blogger party but hey, better late than never. GlamGlow offer a range of treatments depending on your individual requirements catering for dry, oily, combination, dull and aging skin. As I have self diagnosed my skin as being combination / dry I decided to pick up their Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment which essentially acts as a face mask and promises 'heart pounding hydrated glowing skin,' and I want me some of that!

I decided to use the treatment as an 'overnight' mask to ensure I got the full use of the product. I bought what is essentially the 'sample pot' which offers around 2 uses of the product (for the price of £14.00 from Boots) To make sure none of the treatment went to waste I applied it sparingly over my face and down my neck using a foundation brush which seemed to work quite well and I didn't get much of a build up in any unnecessary areas. I left the treatment on for 20 minutes before massaging any excess into my skin which felt like a treat - particularly when you pair it with some Netflix and teaser bunnies!

My skin afterwards felt as the pot had described, healthier, plumper, hydrated and most importantly it was glowing. The effects I would say lasted well into the next few days before dissipating and I felt I'd need another treatment as a 'top up' which so far I have resisted as I'm saving what's left over for a particular stressful week (whenever that will be!) 

As much as I did love the effect this mask had on my skin and how clean it was massaging it into my skin rather than peeling, picking and scrubbing it off, I don't think it's going to be one I'll repurchase regularly in the future. I see this as more of a treat or luxury purchase given the eye wateringly high price point of £14.00 just for a sample pot. Their larger pots come in at around £39.00 - which I could easily pay a professional spa therapist or skincare expert for a pampering facial and I'd far rather do.

Have you ever tried the GlamGlow treatments? I'm intrigued by their silver 'tin man' esque mask I've seen on Instagram lately however as it doesn't suit my skin type I'm afraid for me it would just mean wasting money for an aesthetic but I'd love to hear your thoughts on GlamGlow as a whole! Fad or worth the money? Let me know in the comments below, come share your own review with me on Twitter or if you'd just like keep up with me and see what I'm up to you can find me on Bloglovin and Instagram.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Healthier Hair | Lush 'The Plumps' Conditioning Bar

Pregnancy comes with a whole host of benefits (for some) and I have been very lucky to benefit from thicker, fast growing hair during these last few months which has been a lovely side effect of all of the hormones and almost makes up for the odd twitches and unfortunately stretch marks I have been subject to. However with the good, of course comes the bad. While my hair may be growing in faster and thicker than ever before I have found that the general health hasn't improved very much, it's quite dry, frizzy and just damaged! So in light of this I have been taking some steps over these last few weeks to improve the overall look and condition such as going for a chop to remove dead weight, using some new heat defense tools, cutting out straightening entirely and finally purchasing this conditioning bar by Lush.

Whenever I feel as though something is lacking in my routine, whether that's dry skin, dull skin or in this case, dry and damaged hair I'll turn to Lush. I'm always pulled in by the more natural ingredients they typically use in their products and this time was certainly no different. I was on the hunt for either a hair mask or oil treatment to inject a bit more life and shine into my hair but instead I found it in the form of a conditioning bar, something I didn't realise Lush did alongside their shampoo bars. 

The Plumps solid conditioner contains a range of ingredients specifically formulated to help your hair retain moisture, such as honey, while also giving you glorious volume through the fine grains of sea salt in the bar itself. The bar works in much the same way as their shampoo bars - after shampooing as you regularly would work the bar between your hands and run it down the lengths of your hair then rinse. 

Many have complained that the bar doesn't lather or foam when going on to your hair - it is very subtle and can be quite difficult to tell if you're doing it correctly the first time, this is something I find quite appealing as I don't feel as if the product is drying out my hair and is instead oiling it up. While it is on the more 'natural side' it leaves your hair smelling of sandalwood, it is quite a strong smell so if you don't like smelling it through the day this might be one to skip out on. As I write this post I have been using the conditioning bar every 2 or 3 days now for the past 3 - 4 weeks, I have found my hair doesn't feel as heavy or bogged down with product, it's easier to brush out when it's wet which means less breakages overall and generally my hair does feel that bit healthier in comparison to when I was using a liquid conditioner. 

I'm thinking of making the move back to shampoo bars to pair with my solid conditioner simply to see if the combination of the two makes any more of a difference - stay tuned for the verdict! Though I would be super interested to know if you've ever tried a conditioning bar - by Lush or otherwise . Leave your hair health suggestions in the comments below - because while I love make up and could study cosmetics for hours on end I just don't have the same affinity for hair so I really do need help! Otherwise you can find me and my mop on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Cuckoo for KIKO | KIKO Milano High Pigment Shadows

This will be one of my first non pregnancy and parenting related post in what feels like a long, long time and it's no coincidence. It has taken me quite a while to get back into anything of a beauty routine after my first trimester knocked me for six and therefore a while to discover any new or exciting products that I felt I could rave about, scream from the rooftops and of course offer pride of place among some of my firm favourites. 

KIKO Milano are a brand that are relatively new to Aberdeen. They arrived in my favourite shopping complex, Union Square, a little bit before Christmas and I have found myself only able to go in quite recently so I could swatch and shop to my hearts desire. Given their relatively low price point I wasn't expecting too much from KIKO, at only around £4.80 for a 'high pigment' wet and dry eyeshadow I wasn't expecting fireworks, so after a couple of swatches and a rake in their bargain section I came away with 3 of their high pigment shadows one in a matte purple shade one in a subtle metallic pink /purple hue and finally a shimmery beige colour - perfect for an inner corner highlight. What I got however wasn't simply fireworks but an entire bonfire display in terms of quality, pigment and longevity!

I haven't yet been brave enough to use these 'wet' however I have dowsed my brush in some fix plus to apply them at times and I have been thoroughly impressed. They aren't kidding when they say 'high pigment' and I do get quite a bit of kickback - particularly on the matte shade I went for. A little really does go a long way and you've got to be careful to only dip your brush in else you'll be pink, purple and beige all over, and of course ruin your base if you're prone to doing your base first.

If you haven't already I would highly recommend popping int your local KIKO store to have a swatch of these shadows, I would definitely go as far as today they're better than any MAC shadows I have tried previously - even better than my much loved neutrals palette.. swatches don't lie! Since falling in love with these about a month or so ago I've bought a few more in some similar 'Spring' pink shades and I'll undoubtedly go back for even more shortly. All I wish is that they did some large palettes so I could decant the shadows into and they fit nicely instead of me fiddling about with about 10 different pots, maybe they do and I'm just being blind but KIKO if you're listening I need an empty palette for your pigments!

Have you ever tried anything by KIKO Milano? As you all know I also fell in love with their SPF Primer too which you can read my thoughts on here, otherwise I'd love to know what other gems you have found in KIKO. Be sure to leave your comments, thoughts and suggestions below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to see more reviews, life musings and me in general you can find me on Bloglovin and Instagram.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Wand Wars | Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara VS. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Though I am a false lash fanatic and have been now for many, many years I am still partial to 'false lash' effect mascaras and love trying new brushes, formulas and brands. So it was no surprise that when I found myself with two highly coveted samples from two of the beauty worlds heavy weight brands one thing sprang to mind instantly. Wand wars! (what else?)

After quite an extensive haul from Sephora in Barcelona last year I found myself being gifted with a plethora of products including the Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara original (RRP £19.00). Admittedly this was something on my list to try out 'one day' anyway however being a Benefit Roller Lash girl through and through I decided not to purchase the full size Better than Sex Mascara - but was of course chuffed to have a sample to give a whirl before committing fully. 

The big pull for this mascara seems to not only be the formula itself, but their unique brush applicator, which has an 'hourglass' shape inspired by Hollywood Bombshells of the golden era. The carbon black mascara with its collagen rich formula promises full, defined lashes that take your lashes to all new lengths. Too Faced say that you can achieve three different looks depending on how many coats you decide to give your lashes - I decided to try all three and I felt for me 2 light coatings was quite enough - lest you risk getting into spider lash territory. I love the way the formula and brush feels on my lashes and the feel of the brush - unlike the Roller Lash which, if you catch your skin or eye is VERY sore, my only peeve would be how flaky it can be if you accidentally use too much and it'll go all over your face, otherwise, I give this mascara two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

Again I then found myself at Christmas buying a special edition box from Urban Decay which included a whole host of new and old product samples, lip gloss, eyeshadow, blushers and of course a sample of their Perversion Mascara (RRP £19.00). This product wasn't something I'd heard terribly much about, however when I opened it up for the first time quite recently, I kind of fell in love with the brush. Full of soft bristles and with a great tube that handily removed much of the product before application, for that alone I was pretty impressed.

With this mascara Urban Decay promise, bigger, blacker, badder lashes through their ultra creamy formula and to deliver great length and volume, and the big, big pull? It 'glides' on in one stroke! I found that the formula was quite 'wet' in comparison to the Too Faced one and took a while to dry - so if you're prone to blinking right after applying mascara then maybe this one isn't for you - unless of course you enjoy the clean up...and panda eyes! I wouldn't say you need as much of this mascara to achieve a similar look to what you get using the Better than Sex formula and due to the creamy, wet feeling formula it doesn't go clumpy in the same way. 

Would I purchase a full size of either? Yes I would, however which one I would recommend definitely depends on the type of person you are - if you like a quite make up routine then Better than Sex is for you - if like me, you don't mind spending a little more time on your routine, and can afford to be a bit more careful then I'd definitely go for Perversion. (Though I may buy Better than Sex JUST for the tube because come on it's beautiful!

Sorry if with a title like wand wars you were expecting a wizarding story of epic proportions but you guys know that's not how I roll! Have you ever tried the mascaras above? If so I'd love to hear what you thought of them - or maybe theres something out there even better than them, let me know in the comments below, come sneak the links to me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see me play with make up a bit more you can find me on Instagram and more of my words on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging Pet Peeves | Beauty Edition

You may remember back in the times of yore when I wrote a post ranting about my biggest blogging pet peeves. From overly obvious tweet and social media scheduling to auto DMs and of course straight up stealing images and fellow bloggers work to further your own blogging platform, there is a great deal to be peeved about when it comes to blogging in general. However, recently I have found myself becoming increasingly annoyed by the beauty blogging community so today in order to therapeutically cleanse myself of these thoughts, feelings and annoyances and maybe pass some of them along to you!

No swatches

More often than not I'm quite drawn to blogs with beautiful imagery. I am a sucker for a good, well lit product shot despite having never quite mastered the art myself, but there is one thing a beauty blogger can do when taking photographs that will make me instantly click off, unlike, unfollow and never return again. No. Swatches. It's all well and good telling me how amazing the pigment on your new eyeshadow is or how a lipstick's colour has changed your life, but if you don't show me then... it's all lies!!! Admittedly this is something that new beauty bloggers are perhaps not used to doing, however for seasoned pros surely this is just good practice?

'I was kindly sent this by Too Faced...' 

Psst...you forgot to add - 'in exchange for the money I paid for it,'

When this comes from a brand new beauty blogger with a small following you've got to know they're pulling your leg. I have seen countless young girls trying to draw folks in by saying, Anastasia Beverley Hills got in touch with me to review this product... yeah via an advert on Beauty Bay!

Review your damn hauls

I love a good haul post. I like a good nosy in my peers baskets, particularly when it comes to beauty and fashion. However some follow up would be great - or at least a little test of the product before posting your haul, else it's really just, 'hey guys I bought this,' and cue the crickets! 

Ever found yourself guilty of the above? Probably - I know as a beginner in both beauty and blogging I have been guilty of more than I would really care to admit - it's a learning process that is never ending.

What are some of your blogging pet peeves, beauty, lifestyle or otherwise? Be sure to share your peeves and comments in the box below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd just like to see who I'll write another peevey post about next then make sure you're following me on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Killer Kyshadow | Royal Peach Palette Swatches & Review

When I heard Kylie Cosmetics were releasing a 'Kyshadow' and 'Kyliner' range, I was skeptical to say the least. Despite falling head over heels for the lip kits last year and building up quite a substantial collection (about a dozen or so and counting...) I just felt that branching into eyeshadows, liners and goodness knows what else was getting a bit gimmicky, you've found your thing, stick to it. So I held back and waited. I waited for the terrible reviews courtesy of the worlds biggest and best beauty gurus, I waited for critiques ever lack of pigment, patchy, slippy shadows, something, goodness anything! Nothing ever came.

What did however come were more and more eyeshadow palettes, more and more rave reviews, swatches and glowing endorsements from some of my You Tube favourites. Naturally I caved. I recently purchased a Kyshadow bundle which offered the relatively new Royal Peach palette alongside one of their newer lip kits in the shade 'Apricot' for $65 (which is about £52 ish) which considering how much I have previously paid for just an eyeshadow palette it really isn't bad.

Top L - R
Sorbet, Seashell, Peachy, Royal, Queen Bee, Duke
Bottom L - R
Duchess, Sandy, Mojito, North Star, Crush, Cinnamon

The palette boasts 12 shades in a variety of matte, metallics and satins- mainly metallics however you pretty much get the only matte shades you would ever need to create a warm smokey eye in this palette so no complaints there. I have swatched all of the shades down below for you to check out the colours and just what they each have to offer. The shades are all highly pigmented though when you go into the palette with a brush you get quite a lot of fallout from a couple, namely the matte shades as opposed to the metallics. The only shade I can say was quite disappointing would be 'Sorbet' which didn't deliver a great colour pay off, however used as a base or light transition colour it works quite nicely. My favourite shade so far has to be 'North Star' as I'm going through quite a big pink / purple girly phase when it comes to my make up North Star has been right up my street and is great as an inner corner pop of colour and metallic, glittery goodness.

I feel like you can get this sort of quality from other brands such as Too Faced, Urban Decay and of course Make Up Geek so if this is a little out of your budget (particularly when you factor in customs and postage fees) then there are plenty of 'dupes' on the market. For me this has been worth the money as I will use literally every shade in the palette, perhaps not for regular clients and brides but it certainly fits my personal aesthetic. I can't see myself buying another Kyshadow palette any time soon unless of course something is done to DRAMATICALLY reduce the customs fees (not possible I know but a girl can dream!)

Have you ever tried anything from the Kylie Cosmetics range? Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments (good or bad) below, come share them with me on Twitter - oh and as a side note if you've ever created any looks with this or any other Kyshadow products be sure to direct me to your Instagram!

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Budget Beauty | KIKO MILANO City Filter Sunscreen SPF 50 Primer

Now I'm getting older, and hormones are ravaging my body (and not in a nice way like in the teen years!) I've been making some conscious efforts to look after myself a little more, particularly when it comes to my skin - especially since I've started developing some pretty impressive under eye bags! After changing my moisturiser around a little and getting more rigorous and particular about make up removal and maintaining a solid routine I started digging a little deeper and decided to turn my attention to primers.

Many in the make up industry (bar those making and selling it of course) are pretty skeptical about the effectiveness of primers and to be honest after using the same one for almost a year I understood why. Due to the ever changing nature of skin I found my last primer was beginning to feel quite slippy, silicone like and unpleasant to layer on to my skin every day - in short it pretty much just stopped working, and after that I went on the hunt for ' the one ' 

I knew what I wanted, something that wouldn't totally mattify my face, but also not cause my foundation to slip and slide around, something that would protect my skin and preferably have something on the label that said 'brightening' or better yet, 'anti aging' It took a while but, guys, I think I've found it.

At the spectacularly low price of £6.40 for a 30ml bottle, the KIKO MILANO City Filter Sunscreen Primer promises to create an invisible shield for the skin, protect against the first signs of aging (though for me it may already be too late) and soften and brighten the wearers complexion. Oh and of course acts as a smooth and silky base for your foundation (you know like you'd want a primer to do)

The first thing I noticed about the primer was how gorgeous it smells, it reminds me of suncream from my childhood without the oily, sticky mess that used to come alongside. It also has a silky, lightweight feel which means a little can go a long, long way, I have found I only need one dot on each cheek and one on my forehead to prime my whole face. My foundation sits really well once applied with a spritzed beauty blender and since using this primer I haven't noticed any clogged pores or spots or dryness as a result which is of course the goal.

One of my favourite parts of using the primer is the SPF 50 sunscreen aspect - as I'm quite pale (the palest) it has always been recommended that I wear an SPF daily and given my love for make up and disdain for suncream or heavy moisturisers in general it just never happened- but combine my primer and SPF? Genius!

If you are currently in the market for a reasonably priced primer, need to start using SPF more, or just want something a bit more lightweight for the summer then this might be the primer for you, at the very least do give it a swatch in your local KIKO MILANO store.

Have you ever tried any products by KIKO MILANO? I have swiftly fallen in love with the brand since their descent on the Granite City just last year and luckily so far they haven't been to harsh on my bank balance. Be sure to leave your own KIKO picks in the comments below I'd love to try out even MORE of their products, come share your faves with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to watch the decline in my bank balance in the coming months be sure to keep up with the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time,

H.Elizabeth x

Know the skin your're in | My 8 Step Skincare Routine

Eight steps sounds like a lot but bear with me on this guys. In aid of knowing the skin you're in following Wednesdays post I thought I would share my own skin diagnosis with you and the steps I take to ensure my skin stays in tip top condition.

My skin is characterised by minimal pores, flakiness and dry patches on my cheeks with the occasional feeling of tightness when I use chemical rich products, meaning my skin is dry and quite sensitive.

1. Gentle daily make up removal
No matter if I'm blind drunk, sick as a dog or more tired than ever I will always take my make up off before bed - really Armageddon could be pending and I'd still be removing my make up. I use a gentle cleansing balm by the body shop which you can read more about here, and when I'm feeling super motivated I'll pop a warmed, damp cloth over my face to open up my pores.

2. Exfoliate weekly
Admittedly I'm an over exfoliator, I like nothing more than the polished feeling a rough exfoliator gives you but ideally you should exfoliate once a week to avoid damaging and scraping your skin. As my skin can be quite dull I use a vitamin C scrub from the Body Shop again to give me a bit of brightness. I usually do this in the shower as it tends to get a bit messy!

3. Cleanse daily

Foaming cleansers usually aren't the greatest for folks with dry skin, but I'm happy to say I have found one that works for me by all natural brand Arbonne. Their calm range is specifically formulated for people with my skin type and I use the Calm daily cleanser in the shower every day. I often switch my cleansers around and use Angels on Bare Skin by Lush which is one of my first loves in the cleansing world, which you can throwback to my review of by clicking here.

4. Moisturise twice daily

In keeping with the all natural, specifically formulated for dry skin theme I again use the Calm daily moisturiser by Arbonne though I do switch it up every now and again to some by Lush as my skin can get used to a product after a certain length of time and it'll just stop working 

5. Eye cream twice daily

Well eye gel! I use a cooling eye gel by the Body Shop which helps eradicate any puffiness I have (particularly in the mornings) and is also much gentler on the skin than any other moisturiser I have been known to throw on there. I'm thinking of soon investing in an anti aging cream for my under eyes simply because you can never start too young and dry skin tends to age at a faster rate than oily skin (bummer!)

6. Facial Oil twice daily
Following my moisturiser and eye cream I'll dot oil on both cheeks and down my forehead and rub it all over my face. This helps the skin absorb moisture that bit better and gives me a healthy glow. I love the Oils of Life facial oil by the Body Shop but I have also been known to dabble with some Neals Yard oils too.

7. Sleeping Cream every evening
This is something I have only just started dabbling in but it's a great addition to my night time routine. I'll rub this in circular, upward motions on my face and my neck and it just gives your skin that extra little boost before bed. Every morning I wake up and I'll still continue with my usual cleansing and moisturising but this just helps my skin along the way.

8. Weekly face masks

As you could probably guess, Lush are my favourite when it comes to face masks, I'll tend to buy one a month and use it every Sunday when I enjoy a bubble bath or even when my skin is feeling particularly run down. My favourites for dry skin are the Love Lettuce exfoliating face mask and the Oatifix hydrating mask.

Of course in addition to my skincare routine I also have a few make up tips and tricks that keep my skin looking and feeling great however I'll save that post for another time.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read my updated skincare routine, hopefully you have discovered some amazing products from this or learned a little something about caring for your own skin and I apologise for eliminating an entire readership of oily faces! If you have any skin saving products for dry skin you think I would love be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd occasionally like to see my face be sure to follow me on Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, know the skin you're in!

H.Elizabeth x

I'm Your Venus | Lime Crime Venus: The Grunge Palette Review

Having heard a great many mixed reviews about Lime Crime in the past, I kept my distance opting instead for tried and tested brands that grace my usual beauty sites, Beauty Bay, Sephora etc. It wasn't until this season when I  saw some of my favourite make up artists donning these shades and at a time when I myself was getting very, very into my warm tones, smokey reds and browns that I turned to Lime Crime. 

It was around one week before Lime Crime launched on Beauty Bay that I bought this palette (typical I know!) I bought it as part of a bundle in which I got the palette and their highly coveted liquid lipstick in the shade 'Wicked' which I thought was fairly apt for the time of year I was buying it (October/Halloween/Spooky times in case you were wondering.

The shadows as you can see are highly pigmented but are obviously best applied with a brush - the swatches above I don't feel are truly representative of how well the shadows appear on the eye and how well they blend into one another, though for a single swipe of the finger into each shadow I don't think they did too badly! My favourite and go to look of the moment with this palette is a crease of Creation and Muse, darkened up on the outer corner with Icon, with a touch of the rose shimmer of Venus and of course Aura on my inner corner.

Overall I do think this palette is value for money (considering it's only £27.67 AND it's Vegan friendly), especially as I use at least one of these colours on a daily basis and it'll be great come Spring and even Summer when I can use shades like Aura, Shell and Divine to create lighter and more 'fun' looks. All of that and you know...it looks great on Instagram!

I hope you have enjoyed my short and snappy review of the Venus Grunge Palette by Lime Crime, as a brand of course they do tend to attract a lot of negative press and heat for things they did in the past however simply judging by their products and nothing else then I'm suitably impressed!

If you want to see any looks I do using this palette be sure to leave a comment below, or you can see some of my most common and loved looks on Instagram, Twitter or even Facebook if you fancy!

Until next time folks, I'm your Venus and your fire!

H.Elizabeth x

The Lazy Girls Guide to Getting Ready | 5 Time saving beauty tips

Okay I'll get up in 5 minutes and just shower this evening. Mmmm...I'll get up in 10 minutes and just throw my hair in a fun bun. Okay give me another 20 and I'll forget about eye shadow today and just do something super simple. Nah half an hour and I'll just go to work in my pyjamas.

Sound familiar?

If you're anything like me then mornings are an intense struggle, especially in the winter. No matter how early I go to bed, no matter how I wind down in the evenings and no matter how warm my house outside my covers may be, mornings will forever be a struggle. I begin every day by sleepily bartering and bargaining different aspects of my beauty routine throwing aspects out of the window in order of importance (spoiler - my winged eyeliner ALWAYS makes the cut) So today I thought I would share just how it is I am able to get ready in the morning with a few moments to spare and my little tricks and tips to keeping my beauty station organised.

1. Bag up your face;

This ain't my first rodeo kids, I know myself and I know my body and it needs those extra few minutes so no matter what I have to have my make up organised the night before so I can jump straight in with no faffing. My biggest tip here would be to put together a bag for eyes (liner, mascara, shadow etc) and a bag for your face (foundation, primer, concealer etc)

2. Prioritise;
I do this as I'm waking up. First to go is well polished hair, next eyeshadow, next contouring and highlighting etc etc. Work out which aspects you feel you can and cannot go without for the day and for every 5 minutes extra you have in bed shave one item off of your list.

3. Build around a pre-planned beauty or fashion statement;
Fancy wearing a statement red lip? Or maybe you had a super glittery eye or even a cat flick in mind? (belieive me that can take a long time, a great deal of sanity and hella cotton buds!) Make sure you start there and then build your look around that.

4. Spray bottles within reach;
How many times have you sat down to do your face to realise you haven't dampened your beauty blender? Make sure you keep two spray bottles in your vanity or nearby your make up station, one of water for those spritzing moments and one of an alcohol cleaning solution to keep your brushes and area clean and sanitized. 

5. Dry shampoo and texture spray at hand;
Because let's be honest, in our morning beauty routines, hair is always the first thing we compromise. Despite the grease if you still fancy wearing your hair down keep dry shampoo for those roots and a texturising or volumising spray to give your hair a bit of oomph.

And there you have it my very basic lazy girls guide to getting ready and my top 5 time saving tips for your morning routine. I hope you have found these useful, are able to implement some of these into your own (late and last minute) beauty routines or maybe you're SO late you've just got to throw on a bra and greet the day (yes guys, you too)

I of course always love to hear your thoughts and comments so be sure to leave our own time saving beauty tips below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to hear more lazy girl tips and beauty reviews be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin and Instagram.

Until next time folks, lazy girl OUT!

H.Elizabeth x

Eat Local, Eat Filthy | Filthy Gorgeous Aberdeen

You know those mad food combinations you often dream about, you know the ones, cookies with crisps, fries in chocolate milkshake (this apparently is a thing!) deep fried delights and cheese on pretty much everything?  Those combinations you think, no that's mad I'll just settle for a plain chips and burger? Well dash it all to hell, in Filthy Gorgeous nothing is off limits and I for one am thankful, hungry and admittedly a little terrified of what this new Aberdeen eatery may do to my waistline. But on this day, this day of the #FGbloggerbrunch I didn't give two hoots.

Filthy Gorgeous comes from the (probably filthy) mind of Darren Campbell who, having spent much of his working life in various restaurants and all walks of the foodie scene, saw a gap in the market and decided to fill it with his very own Filthy Gorgeous. Not to be mistaken with popular dive burger joints, Filthy Gorgeous has a neatly presented distinctly indie decor complete with a sparkling chandelier and rounded off with a very modern photo booth (you know in case you want a before and after photograph of your culinary choices) and was a joy to sit in with my fellow bloggers for the afternoon.

The menu however, is quite another story. Distinctly filthy food, burgers and hot dogs with cereals, maple syrup and cheese galore and crazy culinary creations such as fries topped with marshmallows (correct fries TOPPED with marshmallows) sugared bacon milkshakes and even dead unicorn sundaes (we'll get to that later) of course I couldn't wait to give all of these a go, but alas my stomach cannot contain so much food so some tough decisions had to be made, but here are were my choices for that particular afternoon;

Main Event; I Dream of Weenie, a frostie crusted Chicago style smoked beef frank, cheese fondue with maple onions

Sides; Sweet Potato Fries with marshmallow & bacon shrapnel

Dessert; Dead Unicorn Sundae, jack and chocolate ice cream, a scoop of bitter cherry sorbet, Persian fairy floss, marshmallow, magic sprinkles and a sugar cone.

 

Unfortunately being the ninny I am and being altogether too excited for the food I didn't notice their milkshakes on offer so I had to sit through my meal staring jealously at the other girls who weren't too impatient to order one. Luckily I managed to get a great shot of Sarah's (blogs vlogs etc) Moopocalypse Cow milkshake which boasts chocolate fudge milk and chocolate ice cream topped with crumbled brownies (below)

As far as burger joints go, usually I'll roll my eyes and go 'ugh not another one'  but Filthy Gorgeous is unlike any burger joint I've visited thus far, unafraid of delving into the unusual, unabashedly filthy and what can I say they're simply a gorgeous new eatery all round and well worth a visit if you're up the Granite City way!

You can find Filthy Gorgeous on the booming Netherkirkgate in Aberdeen's city centre.

And of course you can find me and my very own Filthy Gorgeous self on the usual socials, Twitter,  Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, eat filthy, eat gorgeous, eat mallow fries!

H.Elizabeth x

I Dream of Gin | Cocktails at Orchid Aberdeen

It's so refreshing when you meet people who are genuinely passionate about their craft. People who could sit and chat for hours about their business and who always greet customers with a smile, this sums up city centre cocktail bar and Aberdeen hot spot, Orchid, to a tee. Home to the inventive minds behind Porters Gin and no stranger to the odd award winning bartender, Orchid is always first on my list of nightly hot spots.

Recently the Aberdeen bloggers and I had the pleasure of being invited along to Orchid to have a chat about the business,  learn a bit more about the brains behind the bottles (Porters Gin that is) and of course enjoy some stellar cocktails from their new winter menu, and with my other half in tow for his first ever blogger event. Here's how we got on.

 
Mini masterclass & the pink orchid
To start off our evening I got behind the bar and showed the other bloggers how it was done...Nah I'm just kidding but I did get to make a pretty fantastic Pink Orchid Cocktail (THE cocktail of the Aberdeen drinking scene if you didn't know) We were given a brief history of the drink, a rundown on how to create your own version of the pink orchid and we even came up with a rather fantastic tasting melon daiquiri!

A history of gin
Being the 'in drink' of the moment, Orchid have fully embraced the spirit with their own Porters Gin (delish!) and we were treated to a trio of gin's from throughout the ages. Suffice to say these guys seriously know their stuff, from conception to creation and all of the nasty, gritty bits in between it's amazing to hear just how far gin as a drink has come and changed into the sophisticated beverage we know and love (a little too much sometimes) today.

Brand new Winter Cocktails
For our groups grand finale we were treated to three new cocktails from Orchid's winter menu. The Religious Robbery (my favourite)  a gin based, spiced pina colada and a new take on the sweet and vanilla pink orchid from earlier which is unlike anything I have ever tasted for sure. The Honey Rice, a rum lovers dream full of dark notes and warming to the core, and finally the Beerlini, a long drink, which is exactly what it sounds like and unfortunately not my cup of tea or indeed cocktail of choice.

During the winter months Orchid will be releasing 8 new winter cocktails, and each cocktail will be associated with a location in Aberdeen, for example rum based Honey Rice is associated with Fittie for it's piratey connotations (clever huh?) Originally inspired by a New Orleans bars idea, Orchid have placed their own Aberdonian twist on this clever piece of marketing which encourages cocktail connoisseurs and visitors alike to get out and explore the city. A badge will be presented with each cocktail and customers will be encouraged to go and snap a selfie at their given cocktail location which may win you a prize when you next visit.

Thoroughly buzzed and happy with the evenings events we stumbled home, ending another holly jolly night at my favourite cocktail bar. I'm so looking forward to visiting Orchid over the festive period and much as my liver may not agree I'm feeling pretty determined to attain every badge and tick every place off of Orchid's list. What can I say? I want to be the very best... like no one ever was...

Hopefully once again you guys have enjoyed this small glimpse into Granite City life and perhaps have found a new Aberdeen haunt if you've never visited Orchid before (say whaaaat?) If you like what I've done here I do even more! Right here on Twitter, right here on Instagram and of course more from the Blog, here on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, spice up your gin?

H.Elizabeth x

Waterproof Foundation? | Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation Review

Waterproof foundation? When I heard these two words put together, and in a press release from Urban Decay Cosmetics, I KNEW I had to have it. The Urban Decay All Nighter was launched only a couple of months ago now and I have been trying it now in the shade 0.5 (the lightest shade FYI) for a couple of weeks since buying it ages ago an being too unwilling to use it because the packaging, the packaging was just too beautiful. But then I had a day. One day that I thought would be just perfect to test out a waterproof foundation.... the wettest day of the season so far!

The foundation itself is marketed as a full coverage, matte formula with waterproof properties and promises not to feel cakey or uncomfortable. Matte is actually not something I have a great deal of experience with given my skin type is generally quite dry however after doing a bit of research I found girls with dry skin, oily skin, combo skin, all skin types generally got along with this foundation  and the swatches had me sold! 

I know I say this a lot as a beauty blogger, and as a beauty blog reader I imagine you read this a lot too, but I'm not kidding when I say a little of this product goes a long, long way (and if you can think of another way of me to write that please tell me in the comments below) Usually with my Naked foundation by Urban Decay I'll dot, blend and then dot all over again and then go in with concealer, with this foundation however I dot sparingly blend and then I can right away go in and contour / highlight and all of that glitter bomb jazz! The coverage is amazing and having used it with my go to primer I was super impressed with how long it lasted through the day (yes through the wind AND rain) and didn't oxidise as badly as I thought it may.

Now, I know I read in many, many places that despite it's matte quality that this foundation is absolutely fine for drier skin, well I'm calling it... no, no it is not. The day I chose to debut this I didn't have a visible patch of dry skin on my face, however when I got home in the evening and went to take my face off I had dry patches on my forehead. So this foundation WILL find a dry patch on my face and WILL cling to it - not a great look. However I do think I'm going to persevere as the finish and the look it gives my skin is just so damn good an porcelain looking that I'm willing to undergo a more intense moisturising routine.

Have you had a chance to try out Urban Decay's All Nighter Foundation, I'd really love to hear what you thought of it in relation to your own skin type. Be sure to leave all thoughts, comments and musings below or come find me on the usual socials, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin to have a good ole chinwag about it.

Until next time folks, I could go an all nighter!

H.Elizabeth x

Cleaning your Beauty Blender | Liquid Blender Cleanser Review

How sad do you feel when you have to chuck your beauty blender? Or perhaps more accurately your Real Techniques Complexion Sponge when it gets grotty beyond repair? Suddenly your baby shampoo and squeeze hack simply isn't cutting it any more and it looks like it's time to retire your tried and tested friend to the bin, really I must have gone through at least a dozen beauty blenders only to find I ended up with a sponge that was more foundation than foam. So getting sick, tired and fed up of wasting so much money I began to seek other cleaning methods of my spongey compadre and came across this liquid blender cleanser in Boots funnily enough by 'Beauty Blender' themselves.

The Liquid Blender Cleanser is a soy based product free from dyes and skin irritants and comes in a handy squeeze down 150ml bottle which lasts and lasts, which makes it's £15 price tag a little less painful to contend with. The cleanser has a faint lavender scent to it and leaves your beauty blender, sponges and make up brushes (if you choose to use it for that) squeaky clean and free from germs, dirt and impurities. Disgusting as it may be during my weekly brush cleaning routine my favourite part is seeing just how dense and full of product my beauty blender is and squeezing out as much foundation as possible. Using this cleanser has been a real eye opener as to just how full of dirt and germs my sponge has been over these last few years! 

I use the cleanser once a week on all of the beauty blenders / make up sponges I'll have had on the go and I'm chuffed with the results I have been getting. I really feel as though it's better for my skin, better for my make up collection and I have found something that really works. My only qualm with the product is that it can get quite messy as you have to push the damp (and dirty) blender down on to the pump for the liquid to come out so you really need to put kitchen roll or a tea towel down to protect your counter. I also worry with this kind of pump at just how much product I'm wasting when it spills all over the place so it'd be great to get a different type of pump to distribute the product a bit better.

If you're as gross as me you'll love this product and you'll be so surprised at just how much foundation you're wasting away week on week! Beauty Blender also offer a solid blender cleanser which where it may indeed be a bit cleaner and easier to use will waste away very quickly as it dissolves like a regular bar of soap in water. Have you ever tried a specific blender cleanser product? How did you find it and did you just love seeing all the gunge come out like I do?  Leave your thoughts in the comments section below, come share the gunge and gore with me on Twitter or keep up with me and the blog on Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, it's time to get gunged!

H.Elizabeth x

Make up lovers, Frost Yourselves | Anastasia Beverly Hills Moon Child Highlight Palette Review

Who doesn't want to glow like the July summer sun? Well, me actually, I'd far rather glow in a cool manner, like the snow in December and thanks to Anastasia Beverly Hills and their latest Moon Child glow kit I am able to do just that.

I first saw the Moon Child palette on a Nikki Tutorials You Tube video and then perhaps again on a Jeffree Star video but I really can't remember, and I sort of popped it on my list of products I would love but can't really justify the cost (particularly when being shipped from 'murica - ironically named land of the free...) But one day I threw caution to the wind (I saved my pennies) and decided to splurge and treat ma self... and my make up artistry kit to a brand new highlight palette... guess which one I went for?

After ordering the kit from the Anastasia official website I decided I best not hold my breath for a delivery within three weeks since I know the Kylie Kits come from America and can take up to five weeks to arrive. I was surprised, shocked and elated when a package arrived on my desk within a week of ordering (big props to Anastasia!) and it and life, was once again beautiful and frosted to a shimmery perfection.

One thing I noticed, other than the glitter, gorgeousness and general beauty of the product was the size of the highlighters themselves. Granted when you're paying over £50 for a palette you expect some substance but the pans were wider than I expected and you got so much more than I was at first anticipating which is always a plus when buying make up online. And of course the next thing....was the swatches!

(L-R)
(Blue Ice, Star, Purple Horseshoe, Pink Heart, Lucky Clover, Blue Moon)

Now as you can see the colours are pretty much as they are described. The only colour I think I haven't yet used for highlighting purposes has been lucky clover...mainly because it'll make me feel like a leprechaun, but I'm sure I'll one day find a use for it. You know, like St Patricks day.... My favourite so far has been Pink Heart, it is maybe the most subtle of the six but I have found it's a great everyday highlighter, though I'm really looking forward to using the more blue and silver shades in the winter time  and during party season. Also I've heard that these area great as an inner corner highlight - which I can totally see working but haven't tried myself yet.

Have you ever given an Anastasia Glow Kit a bash? What did you think of it? Or what are your favourite highlighters, I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for newbies (even with this one in my glittering, glistening collection!) Be sure to leave your comments and suggestions below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd just like to see this bad boy in action come find me on Instagram.

Until next time, FROST YOURSELVES!

H.Elizabeth x

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