This Week's Most Loved #13

Happy Easter! I hope your weekend is full of family, friends and chocolate! I'm back in London this weekend so normal life services will all resume this week, I'll be back at uni, prepping for my dissertation, able to take proper photos in my well lit apartment, and back with The Boy! Highlights of this last week? Discovering a delicious new Burger restaurant back in my hometown, seeing the movie version of my favourite book, spending time with my favourite small people (they're nine, not dwarves), and an impromptu dinner date with The Boy.

Last week I got my mitts on the new Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit (FYI, if you buy this in Superdrug right now you'll get a free nail polish!) in an effort to try out a few new drugstore products. At first glance I didn't think that any of the shades would work for my brows, but surprisingly they all do! The kit contains three shadows, a mini brow gel and an angled brush to apply the powder. Despite the fact that the colours look wrong, because they aren't overly pigmented they work really well, and don't give you a serious case of Scouse Brow. I use the lighter shade on no-makeup days, and a blend of the darker brows for more definition. I love the brow gel in this kit, the wand is plastic with loads of teeth so it really grips every hair and holds them in place without them feeling crunchy. For £3.99 you can't go wrong.

I've fallen head over heels for the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer this week, I never want to be without a tube of this stuff! I've been using it as a primer, mixing it in with my under eye concealer, and dabbing it under my browbone, on the tops of my cheeks and down the centre of my nose, my skin has never looked so glowy! Really impressed with this stuff, a little goes a long way too, this is a huge bottle too!

I've worn the L'Oreal Collection Privée Cheryl's Nude Lipstick pretty much every day this week. The concept of this collection is great, five lipsticks that correlate to five different women, their 'perfect nudes', and you buy the lipstick of the woman who's skintone is the closest match to yours. However, the problem here is that the lipstick that should be my 'perfect nude' doesn't suit me, so I actually ended up going for the Cheryl's Nude shade. On the lips it's slightly sheer, which I like in nude lipsticks, and it's a gorgeous pink with a muted brown undertone. So easy to wear!

On my nails this week has been the Rimmel and Rita Ora 60 Second Polish in Pillow Talk. I think I may have found the perfect powder blue polish in this. It's slightly pearlescent in the bottle but that doesn't translate to the nails at all. I love these polishes because they're so glossy, you can skip a topcoat if you're in a rush and they still look great. 

I also wanted to mention the Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Mousse, I've been using this in the mornings instead of my usual cleanser, and not only does it help wake me up, but it leaves my skin feeling super clean and soft. I'm really impressed with this, and it's so cheap!

Also, I picked up the latest issue of Porter Magazine this week, this is only the second issue but it's by far my favourite magazine on the market right now. This issue is all about strong, independant women, and it's well worth a read.

What have you been loving this week?

The Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit

Ahhh drugstore makeup. Anyone who has read any blog post of mine before will know I am partial to a high end splurge, but that doesn't mean I don't have a place in my makeup-obsessed heart for a drugstore product or forty. Sometimes I can go months without finding anything new or exciting in the aisles of Boots, but other times I end up drooling over everything. The drugstores have without a doubt upped their game in recent months, even in the last year or so, to the point where really you don't need to splurge to get a good product anymore. I've pulled together the cream of the crop (in my opinion) from the drugstore, to give you a full makeup starter kit, all really affordable. 

When it comes to foundation, there are a few that I'm loving right now (L'Oreal Nude Magique, Bourjois Healthy Mix, Rimmel Match Perfection to name a few), but the award for good-for-all-skin types, buildable coverage, natural finish - the all rounder, if you will, goes to the L'Oreal True Match Foundation. This is my go-to foundation right now, it just does the job, no matter what the job you have in mind is.

I always like to have two reliable concealers in my army, one for blemishes, redness, stuff like that, and another for under-eyes. The Seventeen Phwoarr Paint is marketed as an under-eye concealer, but personally I prefer it for blemishes (it's a little dry for the eye area). It's a solid concealer that's pretty creamy when you apply it, but it sets to almost full coverage. Small enough to slip in the handbag, and it comes with a little mirror too, so it's great for on the go. I leave under-eyes to the hands of the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, one of the only concealer's I've ever repurchased. It's got good medium coverage, but it's also super brightening, a win-win. When it comes to setting it all, I reach for the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder, which is perfect for setting makeup, or even over just concealer to add a little coverage to minimal-makeup days. 

When it comes to cheek products from the drugstore, I actually prefer cream blushes to powder - I've never actually found a drugstore powder blush that lasts as long on my cheeks as a high end alternative, but the cream blushes rock. In particular, I really like the Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew, a gorgeous cream-to-powder blush that really perks up the complexion, and Max Factor's Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink, a gorgeous everyday, natural flush blush. As far as bronzer goes, I haven't found anything from the drugstore better than The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer, a matte bronzer that doesn't look muddy on my paler-than-pale skin, and can be used to add warmth or contour.

If you're just starting out in makeup, the Rimmel Glam Eyes Eyeshadow Quad in Smokey Brown will have all your eyeshadow needs covered. It's got a champagne highlight shade, a bronze, a taupe, and a dark shade for crease and lining. I'm constantly surprised with how many gorgeous eye looks I can create with this palette! If you're more of a one shadow does all kinda gal, I'd definitely recommend checking out the L'Oreal Colour Appeal Solo Eyeshadows, I'm personally a fan of the shades Brun Lame and Metal Plum (pictured). These are more like pressed pigments than eyeshadows, so so soft and incredibly pigmented, these have the 'one wash eyeshadow' thang down.

If liquid liner is your thing, I haven't found a liner better, drugstore or otherwise, than the Soap and Glory Supercat Liner. It's got a super thin felt tip nib, perfect for getting perfect winged liner. This stuff is jet black and long lasting which I love, and as an added bonus, it'll last you forever. I've had mine for coming up to a year now and it's still going. 

As far as I'm concerned, L'Oreal mascaras are hands down the best mascaras out there. My all time favourite has to be the L'Oreal False Lash Effect Telescopic Mascara which lengthens, lifts, curls and volumises. Basically, it's a holy tube of wonder. 

Brows are something else I usually let Soap and Glory handle. Last year I discovered the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil, and I haven't looked back. The tint end is perfect for drawing in hairs in sparse areas, whilst the pencil is perfect for defining them. For more natural days, or if I want to set my brows, I'll use the Maybelline Brow Drama a slightly tinted brow mascara that just adds a touch of colour to your brows whilst holding them in place.

As far as lips are concerned, I love the Maybelline Baby Lips Intense Care for moisture-on-the go. I also have a soft spot for the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Let's Get Naked a gorgeous peachy nude. However, my favourite drugstore lip product has to be all the chubby stick dupes out there. In particular, I love the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayons for glossy, bright lips (the shade Orange Punch is pictured above), and the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms (pictured above is the shade Elusive) for a matte lip that's not at all drying.

I think that'll have you covered from all angles! What are your favourite drugstore products? Could you live without any high end beauty bits?

My Only Spring Outfit

 I thought I'd share a few snaps my lovely sister grabbed of my outfit on Wednesday night. It had been a gorgeous day, clear blue skies and glaring sunshine, so I reached for my only real 'Spring Appropriate' Outfit. I was in most of the day but headed out to the Movies with my Dad in the evening, so I grabbed my trusty denim jacket and added a pair of tights for extra warmth (I know, they don't really go, but it was chilly in the cinema!). 

The outfit's pretty straightforward, and I think this is pretty much the only outfit I own that isn't entirely monochrome. The skirt really is the focus of the outfit and I love it. It's from Miss Selfridge, I got it on a 20% Student Discount day back in January, it was pricier than your average body con skirt, but it's really well made and quite thick too, it doesn't show your knicker line! Definitely worth it. Since this has quite a bold pattern on I always pair it with a plain tshirt, this time I picked light grey (more spring-y than my go to black). To tie in the coral on the skirt I picked out a gold and coral necklace and some coral sneakers too (I'm not really a ballet pumps sorta girl). I am obsessed with Forever 21 jewelery, it's always really reasonably priced and they have so many pretty things! It's my go to shop for statement jewelery! I picked up the shoes on my last trip to Primark, I thought they'd be perfect to chuck on and go to the beach in the summer, and for £3, it doesn't matter if they get trashed by sand and sea.

 I love the way the evening light is shining through my hair in these pictures!

 Top: H&M

Skirt: Miss Selfridge

Jacket: Primark

Necklace: Forever 21

Bag: Zara

Shoes: Primark

Picking a Naked Palette

It's definitely not necessary for any normal person to own all three Naked Palettes, but being the beauty junkie I am, I of course do. What I love about the Naked Palettes is the fact that if you've got one, you've got enough shades in one slimline palette to create any look you could possibly want to. From neutral eyes to dark smokey looks one palette has you covered. You definitely don't need all three so here's the details for decision making!

All the palettes seem to follow a similar format. Twelve shades, a brush and a large mirror. A matte (Virgin, Foxy Strange) and shimmer highlight shade (Sin, Bootycall, Dust), a warm golden shade (Half Baked, Chopper, Trick), a bronzey shade (Smog, Snakebite, Factory), a darker bronze with a purpley tinge (Hustle, Busted, Blackheart) and a dark liner shade (Creep, Blackout, Blackheart).  I can't fault any of the palettes in terms of formula, they're all pretty much the same, although sometimes lighter shimmer shades can have a little more fallout than others, for the most part all the shades are intensely pigmented and seriously soft.

The Naked 1 was a palette I didn't actually think it would suit me. I picked up the 2 first off, and only splurged on the 2 after seeing my friend Joanna's one, she had hit pan on a fair few shades, and you don't do that unless you're pretty in love with a product. Anyway, it's a palette of warmer shades, so I tend to reach for it more in the colder months, I just feel like a warm smokey eye is perfect for winter! This palette has two matte shades (Naked and Buck) that are perfect for in the crease, and work with pretty much every other colour in the palette, always a bonus. I find with this palette I tend to work in pairs, Toasted on the lid with Hustle in the crease, Half Baked on the lid with Smog in the crease, Smog on the lid with Darkhorse in the crease, even Sin on the lid with Naked in the crease. This is the original palette and the one I feel is the most versatile, it's got bronzes, taupes, browns, pinks and blues, all with a slightly bronzed, grungy feel. Not a palette for you if you aren't a fan of a bit of glitter, but to be fair, all three of these pack more shimmer shades than matte. It's got everything you could ask for in a neutral palette, but it's definitely more than your average neutral range!

Naked 2 was my first Urban Decay Palette love. I was drawn in by the gorgeous array of taupe shades, and at the time felt like the cooler tones suited my skin more (in reality, I'm pretty lucky in that both cool and warm eyeshadow colours suit me!). This is a palette I tend to whack out a lot more when the weather starts to warm up. This is definitely a bit tamer than it's predecessor, more neutral, shall we say. It's got a few gorgeous shades in there that are perfect for that 'one colour wash' eye look (namely Snakebite, Pistol and YDK), as well as a lot of colour combos that work well together. the inclusion of the shade Tease was clever too, a gorgeous matte taupe that works perfectly when popped in the crease against any other shadow in the palette. They also included a matte black in this palette which is super handy for smoking out a look, deepening the crease colour, and even as a liner! I think this will probably forever remain my favourite of the three, it's just so damn wearable. 

And the latest addition to my Naked family is the Naked 3, a smorgasbord of rosy-hued neutrals that I never in a million years thought would work for me. I succumbed to the hype after realising I hadn't heard a single negative review and I'm so glad I did. Whilst on first glance all the shades look really pink (a shade I would never wear on my eyes) once applied they actually work really well. Like the Naked 1, this is definitely a warmer range of colours, but the taupier darker shades mean that they can be made to look cooler too. I love that this palette is so diverse, it has a good handful of matte shades, some gorgeous shimmers and then a couple of full on glitters if you want to jazz up the look. It doesn't have as many dark shades as it's older siblings, but what it's got is definitely enough to work with. I am totally in love with the darker shades in this palette, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside and Blackheart all look great alone or paired up, and have pretty much been my go to shades the last couple of months.  I'd say give this one a chance, it's not as scary as it looks!

Whichever Naked Palette is the one for you, you can be sure it's a good investment. If I could only have one palette for the rest of my life it would without a doubt be one of these, they've just got everything you need! I inevitably end up taking one of these when I travel too, since I know I'll be able to create any kind of look!

What Naked Palette is your favourite?

Spring Nail Polish Picks

Ahh nail polish, the bane of my life. I'm always buying it, I'm borderline addicted to it. But I can't stand applying it. 

That doesn't mean, however, that I haven't picked out a bevvy of spring polish picks to admire, even if I'm partial to a shoddy paint job.

I'll keep my musings on the & Other Stories Nail Polish in Stonewash Jeans brief since I've spoken about it a fair few recently. My powder blue obsession has spread to my nails and this is the perfect milky blue with a pearlescent sheen.

I can't get enough of the Maybelline Super Stay Gel Nail Colour polishes right now, in particular the shade Hot Salsa. These are super glossy, intensely pigmented nail polishes, and for some reason this has photographed super pink, when in fact it's a gorgeous bright coral shade. 

Rimmel have recently released a collection of their 60 Second polishes in collaboration with Rita Ora. This shade, Breakfast in Bed, is a gorgeous shimmering pastel mint shade. Too much cute. 

Last year's OPI Spring collection was great, but for me the standout shade was You're Such a Budapest a pastel lilac shade (are you sensing a pastel theme here yet?). It's so pretty and it just goes with everything. 

And lastly, the boldest shade of choice, Essie's Orange It's Obvious. I never thought I was a bright orange nails sorta gal, but I LOVE this shade. It's so easy to wear, and obviously Essie polishes are such a dream. 

What are your favourite spring polishes?