Getting glam and #FOREVERAGAINSTANIMALTESTING with The Body Shop

Last week I was invited to The Body Shop in Queensgate, Peterborough for a make-up consultation and to show my support on banning animal testing in cosmetics. Of course I was up for both of these things and headed into store on one of the late night shopping nights- SO handy when you work full time!!

The Body Shop are running an extremely important campaign to ban animal testing. Back in 2013 the collective efforts of The Body Shop and their partner Cruelty Free International led to a European ban but unfortunately there is still a shocking 80% of countries that allow animal testing. The practice of animal testing needs to be banished everywhere and by signing the petition you can help make that happen. You can do so online (click here) or in store.

The Body Shop are so committed to the cause, having never tested any of their ingredients or products on animals and they never will, which is one of the reasons I am such a huge fan of them and have been for many years.

If you’re a long time reader of the blog or subscriber to my YouTube channel you’ll already know how much I love their products. I opted for a make-up consultation whilst in store over a skincare or body consultation as its something different to what I’d usually choose.  I already use a lot of their skincare products and wanted to explore their makeup range. The lovely Michelle was my consultant and she listened to all my make-up needs and concerns such as the fact my face is oily AF and I need powder in my life if I want my face to stay on. She instantly put me at ease and was so easy to talk to and have fun with.

We tried out the Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation first as I thought it would work best for my skin, but surprisingly I wasn’t a fan of the coverage; being a bit too heavy for me personally but if you love a matte full face then boy... that stuff is FULL COVERAGE. I was getting serious Nikkie Tutorials vibes from it. Slightly subtler me ended up going with the Fresh Nude Foundation which was a beautiful medium coverage and felt really light on the skin. For my eye make-up I told Michelle that I prefer natural tones and the same for my lips but by the end of the session she had convinced me to be brave so I said sod it- lets go for a bold lip.

When I had the final reveal I was SO chuffed and could not stop smiling! (It was verging on embarrassing how much I was smiling and staring at myself in the mirror- HA!)

The lip colour reminded me so much of MAC’s Ruby Woo and really set off the rest of the makeup. I was really glad I took Michelle’s advice by choosing a bold colour and I instantly looked refreshed after a long days work. I was also conveniently ready to head to the pub after too- hurrah! The main feature I couldn’t stop staring at was my brows. It’s amazing to see how other people do your makeup and their little twists on it can make you look so different. I had Michelle do a quick brow demo on herself after so that hopefully I can now perfect her brow game on myself.

One of the fab things about all the consulations at The Body Shop is that they’re FREE, making it the perfect opportunity to try out the products you’re curious about. All the products I tried during my makeup consultation were available for me to take home and try as samples so I can see how I get on with them at home. I also took away the some of the new body and skincare samples to try before I buy which is available for everyone that wants to sample a product.

Feeling suitably glam, I then had a little peruse around and picked up two of my Holy Grail products which I’ve written about before on here before. And naturally I had to treat myself to one of the Body Butters which I then realised I could personalise- again for free!! 

 As I’d been into store to learn specifically about the campaign for cruelty free, I had to go with the bunny sticker but there are loads of designs you can choose and would make for a lovely gift too *cough* MOTHERS DAY *cough*

I came away from my getting glam session with a huge grin on my face and a bag full of goodies, feeling very very happy. If you do one thing this week, please make sure you sign the #FOREVERAGAINSTANIMALTESTING petition and if you’re near a Body Shop, go in and have an explore!

Also thank you to the wonderful ladies at The Body Shop in Queensgate for having me- you were the best – especially for taking all my posey photos ;-).

The Burgundy Bar palette from Maybelline

I don't usually post about make-up because if I'm totally honest I don't buy that much and when I do, its usually repurchases- that and I don't know what to say. "Its...shiny?" "I really really like it!" Wow Kat- thanks for that! But on this occasion I actually have rather a lot to say on this burgundy palette from Maybelline.

Firstly sorry not sorry that I have used the shadows before photographing. I hadn't intended to write about it but even so, it's proof I use it right!? I got this palette from as part of a Secret Santa gift this year (thank you Lucy, I know it was you!) and couldn't wait to try it out. I've been lusting for some burgundy shades on my eyelids and this palette encompasses lots of different shades with some gorgeous coppers and golds to compliment the red hues.

The shadow consistency is really buttery and soft- something I never understood when people said that until now. The burgundy shades are highly pigmented too which is impressive for a high street palette and I even like the little brush that comes with it even though a makeup artist would shudder at the thought of it. Some of the golden tones are more subtle but they are great for a natural look, making this palette great to take away for a weekend away; encompassing all the shades you need for every occasion.

The colours I've been drawn to and used the most of so far are the lightest shade (top left, first one) to highlight the inner corner of my eye and define my brow bone, the reddest shade (bottom row, second in from the left) for an all over smokey eye that really compliments blue eyes and the dark gold shade (bottom row, fourth from the left) as it's an unusual topey gold that just looks so goddam pretty! There is some fall out when applying them but in my opinion its nowhere near as much as the likes of Urban Decay shadows and you can forgive it that sin seeing as the colours are so pretty. I tend to apply my foundation after if I'm going for a smoky eye to avoid the smudge of shades into my base.

Now if you're not a fan of shimmer (who are you!?), this palette probably won't be for you as only two shadows are matte but if you love sparkle and shimmer you will luuurve this palette. It's perfect for autumn winter with the reddy tones but also I think the gold and bronze tones will be perfect for summer time. In the past I've had eye shadow palettes with some shades that you just never dip into but I can see me using every single one in here as they're all wearable and lovely.

It's nice to veer away from pink eye shadows for a change and since owning this palette its really stepped up my makeup game and made me feel like a new woman! It's amazing what new makeup can do for your confidence and mood. At £11.99 in Boots, it's a great price point for everyone and definitely feels a lot more luxurious than you'd think it would be.

Are you a fan of The Burgundy Bar? I'd love to know what palettes you are loving at the moment!

Date Night make-up with M∙A∙C*

The ultimate date night is almost upon us- Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or loathe it, in a weeks time it'll be here and I personally like to embrace it. Give me any excuse to get my glad rags on and look pretty for dinner and I'm there but this year I decided to seek the professional help of M∙A∙C to get my make-up date night ready.

At the tail end of last year, M∙A∙C opened a store in Queensgate to many Peterborough women's delight, making it easy to swatch new shades and get expert make-up advice including appointments.

 I opted for an appointment with one of the team to have a full makeup look from lips to lashes, applied by a M∙A∙C Artist in 60 minutes. My make-up artist was the fabulous Jordan who instantly made me feel relaxed and excited to get started.

We started off by talking through the look I was going for before moving on to my skin type and colours and shades I liked. I requested a romantic make-up that was big on the eyes with a light flawless base.

Jordan set to work with finding different palettes and shades for me to try and with her array of brushes, tools and knowledge, she started creating my look.

After skincare was applied, we started with the brows and eyes- something I would never normally do but as Jordan explained, any fall out from the eye shadow etc can be easily cleaned away before putting on your base, making it less messy. It also gives your skincare time to sink in and really work it's magic.

So that I could learn the tips and tricks Jordan was doing, she had me do the opposite side of what she had done, giving pointers where I needed them, I must admit I felt pretty nervous having a professional watch me stab at my face with brushes but Jordan was brilliant, encouraging me and praising me for the areas I did well.

To finish the look, I couldn't resist some lashes as lets be honest, they're kind of perfect to flutter at your date am I right!? I went for the 36 lash to add length and fullness but still look a little more natural.

Before I knew it my 60 minute makeup was over but luckily it included a face chart to help you recreate it at home and listed the products used so I can purchase them at a later date. I also got some samples to take away and try before I buy (which is tempting fate as I've already begun to ear mark what to get from my next pay cheque!)

And this is the finished look! Queue posing photos in 3, 2, 1...

Teamed with heart print dress, I'm ready to be wined and dined by my loved one this Valentine's Day feeling super pretty and feminine with my new found look.

P.S A big thank you to Jordan for making me feel pretty and to hubby Chris for being my photographer!

New In from No7

 

  

If you’re a super long time reader, you’ll know I swear by No7 colour matching foundation (which you can read about here) and have recommended it to friends, family and anyone that’ll listen, so when No7 sent me their latest products to try out I was crazy excited!

I’ve been testing out these latest No7 recruits and hand on heart I love ALL of them!!

I’ll start with the latest contour and highlighting duo known as the beautifully defined contour kit. I’ve been using the highlighter every day since I got it. It gives a beautiful sheen to the skin that’s glowy without being sparkly on the skin which for me is perfect. There’s nothing worse in summer than seeing big sparkly cheeks in the sunshine! It’s also brilliant for my dark under eyes. Sweep this over after concealer and it really brightens your under eye area. I’ve had lots of comments on my eyes looking really bright and awake and how did I do it! The contour is also dreamy. There are no orange hues which is perfect for anyone with pale skin and gives a naturally defined look when applied. As for the packaging that mirror is the perfect size for on the go and travelling which is a huge plus.

The gel finish nail polishes claim to give "complete coverage in just one stroke" and I can vouch that they actually do. I'm now in a job where nail polish is a no no so I've had to kiss goodbye to my gel manis. Thankfully I can re-kindle that gel finish on a weekend with these beautiful colours which I believe are Ginger and Galaxy and think are perfect shades for the coming autumn. I've always loved No7 polishes but these gel polishes are a great new formulation and perfect for a quick one coat mani when you're in a rush or quite frankly don't have the patience for coats and coats of polish. 

Now onto eyeliner… I’ll admit I was a little sceptical about this as I’ve always been a liquid liner lover and used the same brand since I was 14! No7 have done it again though and made another amazing product which I don’t know how I survived without until now. Firstly gel eyeliner is so much easier to apply, being more precise and easy to build on. The new precision eyeliner brush has a silicone tip which helps the gel glide across your lid, making application a breeze. For once in my life my eyeliner is actually “on fleek” and really accentuates my eyes.

The other eyeliner is a liquid liner with a felt tip end (see top photo). Again this makes for easy application and the navy shade is a refreshing change from black. It’s great for a navy smoky eye or to accentuate blue eyes. I can see me wearing this a lot over autumn winter.

  

Onto lips - No7 Lovely Lips lip balm to be precise. I’ve found my all-time favourite shade of lip product ever known as Coral Blossom. This gorgeous shade looks quite strong from the bullet but when applied it’s a stunning sheer balm that gives a healthy, juicy pop of colour to the lips whilst keeping them moisturised and smooth. It's my go-to lip colour for summer, emphasising a tan and for everyday to pep up a natural make-up look.

I haven't used the shade  Deep Raspberry as much so far as I think this will be a great colour for autumn and winter, especially as it's vampy lip season. Instead of wearing a full on dark red in the day I can tone it down with this shade whilst still embracing the dark lip trend and of course maintaining my lips at the same time.

So that's my round up on what's new in from No7. As I said before I honestly love every single item from the new range and would recommend everyone trying them for yourselves! Not only is No7 affordable, it's good quality too and you really do get your monies worth.

Have you tried anything new in from No7?

Is NYX a fix? | NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Review

I'm probably the only blogger on the planet who on first impressions was disappointed with NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams right? I've had several people recommend the NYX brand to me and seen various beauty bloggers also raving about it so when they opened a NYX section in my local Boots, I was really excited to try out their products.

Firstly, I couldn't believe how many shades of lip creams there were and how many gorgeous colours to choose from! I spent a long time oohing and arring before I finally decided on two colours - Addis Ababa and Milan.

When I got home I did what any girl would and went to try them on. As you can see above they are quite clearly two different shades according to the colour on the bottle but the doe foot applicators looked pretty much identical.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt I thought I'd swatch them on my hand but as you can see again they look the same.

The final test was of course to try them on my lips but again, they look like the same colour! It seems to me that Adis Ababa is the true colour out of the two, being a strong and vibrant pink with blue undertones. Milan however I expected to be more of a nude pink like the bottle would suggest but it comes out almost identical to the other shade.

I'm never one to whinge and I'm not the sort of person to be nit picky but I honestly feel really disappointed in NYX products. Annoyingly, I swatched loads of colours whilst in Boots and was only going to buy one - Adis Ababa but at the last minute I grabbed the Milan shade, trusting that it would be the same colour as the bottle like all the other colours I had tried. It would appear  I was wrong and now I have two of the same colour.

Being my first impression of the brand, I can't help but wonder is NYX a fix? Is it hyped up to be something it's not? Or is Milan just a bad shade? I'll give them their dues, their prices are really affordable and they have a great selection on the market but if their colours aren't true to form then what's the point?

Anyway that's my little ranty review over. I feel a bit bad posting this as I don't like to slate brands but I just wanted to make people aware and say that if in doubt- swatch it!!

What are your feelings on NYX products?

My Top Long Lasting Liquid Lipsticks

I've fiiiinally filmed! And I'm all about those liquid lippies right now. Check out my top 4 in the video below:

I'll be posting and uploading more regularly soon I promise!