After seeing a few posts recently featuring this beautiful lip pencil come lipstick I decided to treat myself and let me tell you it's worth every penny.

Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat lip pencils are said to be her secret weapon to fuller lips. The pencil glides effortlessly over your lips, doesn't bleed or feather and although I have been using it all over my lips it doesn't fade or dry my lips out.

Pillow talk is the most gorgeous shade for any occasion, it's like a slightly more rose beige version of my natural lips. I can get a good few hours of wear before I feel the need to reapply. 

Everything from the packaging to the product itself screams luxury and quality. I can't wait to expand my Charlotte Tilbury collection.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour | Nude Pop

Pop lip Colour and Primer £16.00

I'm always one for a good nude lip, something you can incorporate into any look and apply with ease on the go. Clinique's Nude Pop is the prettiest and easiest to wear nude shade, an almost sheer pink toned nude with a slight pearlescent finish.

As this shade is slightly more sheer than the other two (Beige Pop and Melon Pop) that I own I do find I need to top up a little more often but this isn't a problem as the shade wears well and doesn't leave that obvious line of colour around lips.

Excuse the facial fuzz but how pretty is this colour?! Paired with the Clinique Nude Pop Cheek Pop this shade has been my favourite daytime lip since I picked it up.

Do you own any of Clinique's Lip Pop lipsticks, which are your favourites? 

Dupe Alert! Purse Friendly MAC Patisserie Alternative

After finishing lunch at work last week I was rifling around in my bag for something to slick on my lips before going back to my desk, on my first reach in to my bag I pulled out two lipsticks and upon opening them to compare shades and much to my surprise I discovered that they are practically identical!

MAC Patisserie  is an old favourite for that my-lips-only-better look, the Lustre lipsticks are among my favourite lipsticks as they provide a fuss-free juicy wash of colour. Patisserie is just the most perfect rosy-brown shade which works with any look, be it natural or bolder. Anyway on to the fabulous dupe I have discovered...

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a couple of bits from the new Rimmel by Kate Nude Collection on a bit of a whim, I've not used a Rimmel lipstick in years but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! I favour the more natural looking makeup products for my daytime looks so a good nude is always welcome in my stash, I was drawn to shade 45 instantly as it reminded me of my favourite ever lipstick by MAC - Faux. On lips shade 45 is just like the lustre finish lipsticks in that it has a glossy sheen and a subtle amount of colour.

Comparing the two Patisserie leans ever so slightly more on the brown side and shade 45 more on the mauve side however they are very similar when wearing. At £5.49, a third of the cost of MAC's Patisserie you could throw this one on everyday and not need to worry about it running out!

Stila Field Of Florals Convertible Colour Dual Lip & Cheek Palette

Stila Field Of Florals Convertible Colour Palette £30

You know when makeup companies bring out a product in the U.S and annoyingly either don't make it available here in the UK for ages or sometimes not at all and you have to bitterly read others blog posts on it until you can get your hands on it? This was that product. I spotted this palette was released in the U.S back in February and after emailing/tweeting/posting on Facebook asking Stila when/if it would be available in the UK and not receiving a reply I had given up all hope of owning it. Much to my delight I got my hands on it a couple of weeks ago and let me tell you it was so worth the wait!

Field Of Florals Convertible Colour Dual Lip & Cheek Palette is (apart from being a mouthful!) the most beautiful palette of both muted shades and brights that as the title indicates can be used on either your cheeks or lips. I do already own four of the full size dual lip and cheek colours and they are ranked amongst the highest in my cream blush collection. If you haven't tried Stila's Convertible Colour's then you really are missing out as these aren't your traditional cream blush, although the shades can seem a little intimidating in the pan when applied to your cheeks/lips they offer a sheer wash of colour and a dewy finish. 

The shades included in this aptly named palette (from top left) are- Lillium, Magnolia, Tulip, Camellia, Peony, Rose, Gladiola, Peach Blossom, Hibiscus, Gerbera, Petunia and Fuchsia. Tulip was one of my most worn shades over the winter and Hibiscus is one of my all time favourites. 

If you're looking for a multi use palette that gives a fresh wash of colour then this one comes highly recommended by me.

My MAC Lipstick Collection | Part 2

Following on from yesterday's post with the brighter shades in my MAC lipstick collection today I'm going through the more muted shades in my collection. These shades are the ones I reach for more on a daily basis as they are are more toned down and easy to wear. So here's the second part of my MAC lipstick collection...

First up we have Faux the Kylie Jenner lip shade that everyone was donning last Autumn, I wore this shade for 6 months straight when I got it, it's just the perfect amount of pink and brown. Next up we have Patisserie which is no stranger, it's that perfect my lips only better shade and has been getting a lot of wear from me over the last couple of months. Thirdly we have Creme Cup, I must wear this shade more often as it's just the perfect pinky nude, I find this works best when I'm a little on the paler side. Next we have Angel, I loved it when I first bought it but nowadays I'm not so keen, I love the colour it's just this lipstick has a frosted finish to it which I'm not keen on. Last but not least we have Snob, this is a gorgeous blue toned almost bubblegum pink shade that is so fun to wear, another I need to break out more.

Which are your MAC lipstick favourites?

My MAC Lipstick Collection | Part 1

I seem to show a lot of enthusiasm and post a lot about the new products I add to my ever growing makeup collection yet I never seem to talk about the products already living in my collection. MAC lipsticks are a firm favourite in everyones makeup collection, they offer a huge spectrum of shades and enough finishes to please us all. So here's part one of my MAC lipstick collection...

Starting from the left we have Russian Red, a gorgeous deep red with blue undertones and a matte finish, this is one of my favourites for a night out as it offers that perfect timeless red lip. Next up we have See Sheer which is slightly muted coral shade with a glossy finish, I've just realised I've not worn this since last spring and I need to break this out more now the summer is approaching! Thirdly we have Ravishing from the Cremesheen collection, a lovely coral-orange shade. Morange is one that still scares me a little, I bought it at a point in my life where I wanted to be more daring with my lip colour choice and I must admit I have picked it up and been to scared to use it more times than I actually have used it. Last up we have Flamingo, this shade got a good amount of use from me last summer, it's just the right amount of pink with a gorgeous sheen to it thanks to being part of the lustre collection.

Stop by tomorrow for the second part of my MAC lipstick collection, the more nude shades.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer | Melon Pop & Beige Pop

Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer £16.00

You can't have missed the release of Clinique's release of their lip colour plus primer all-in-one lipsticks. The range contains a beautiful spectrum of shades which means there really is something for someone from deep wine to the ever popular nudes. The shades I couldn't wait to get my hands in were Melon Pop a light coral shade and Beige Pop the perfect not-too-pink nude.

The lipsticks have a demi-matte finish to them and I was very pleased to see they don't contain any shimmer (when ever I see a shimmer finish lipstick it just reminds me of my nan). I do find I have to apply a little balm before applying these lipsticks as I noticed when first initially applying them they settled into my lips and made any slightly dryer areas more obvious. The lipsticks last quite well, around 3 to 4 hours, I much prefer something I need to reapply every now and then throughout the day as long wear lipsticks just tend to dry and crumble on my lips. One thing that struck me when they arrived is they are a little smaller than I was expecting. After seeing tens of photos on social media I expected them to be a little bigger than they are, they stand around a cm shorter than my MAC lipsticks. All-in-all not a bad purchase, I'm enjoying the shades but the formula is nothing to scream about.

Have you bought any shades from Clinique's new range? What are your thoughts?

My Clinique Chubby Stick Collection & Swatches

Clinique Chubby Stick £17

I'm not sure why I've not done a post on my Clinique Chubby Stick collection before, they are one of the most used lip products in my collection and were what sparked my chubby stick obsession all those years ago. I've done a swatch of each shade, you can instantly pick out which ones are the original moisturizing formula and which are the intense versions. So lets run through the shades I have in my stash-

From top left - 

08 Grandest Grape (intense)

07 Super Strawberry

06 Roomiest Rose (intense)

17 Plumped Up Pink

06 Woppin' Watermelon

11 Two Ton Tomato

04 Mega Melon

01 Curviest Caramel

Although the intense versions offer more of a punch of colour to your lips they don't skip on the moisture levels delivered by the original moisturizing version. I love everything about these lipbalm come lipsticks, the packing has a real luxe feel, the formula's don't disappoint and I feel you really get your money's worth with the amount of product.

Do you own any of Clinique's Chubby Sticks, what are your thoughts?  

Celebrating 5 Years Of TOPSHOP Beauty | Nevada Lipstick

TOPSHOP Nevada Lipstick £8

I've been a real packaging-whore this week, this time with TOPSHOP's beautiful rose gold embossed 5 year beauty anniversary releases. You can't have missed the new releases, TOPSHOP have complied their best selling products including 5 lipsticks, 5 nail polishes, gleam pot, cream blushers and a liquid eyeliner. I have pretty much everything from their permanent range (with the exception of a couple of polishes) so I decided to pick up Nevada, a creamy pale nude shade.

A good nude shade is always welcome in my stash, my days at work are usually quite busy so I don't have much time to apply the precision required with applying a bold lip colour. I was a little concerned about this being a bit of a concealer-lips nude but formula wise it's quite similar to MAC's lustre lipsticks making it creamy yet glossy, if you know what I mean?! 

Did you purchase anything from TOPSHOP'S celebratory anniversary range?  

Welcome To The Stash | MAC Patisserie

MAC Patisserie | rrp £15.50

I have lusted over Patisserie for longer than I care to remember and on the Easter Bank Holiday Friday when the weather was a little gloomy this famous nude just fell into my basket whilst browsing online.

Patisserie is from MAC's Lustre lipstick range meaning it's sheer and leaves a gorgeous non-sticky sheen to your lips. This seriously wearable pinky nude is going to become my new go-to lipstick I can just feel it.

Patisserie really is like my lips only better meaning I needn't worry about liner to prep and it's moisturising enough not to need to worry about applying balm beforehand (like I find i have to with some of MAC's more pigmented lipsticks). After wearing this lipstick everyday since receiving it I'm left wondering why on earth I didn't buy it before?!

Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils | Swatch & Review

Admittedly a little late to the party with the Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils (phew try spitting that out after a glass or two!) but I have a good excuse... There has been very little on the hightstreet in the last year or so that has really caught my attention but when I heard people were comparing these pencils to the famous NARS lip pencils I had to snap a couple up! The two which grabbed my attention the most were 'Light It Up' and 'Keep It Classy' both of which are gorgeous not only in tone but texture also.

L Keep It Classy
R Light It Up

My favourite of the two without a doubt is 'Keep It Classy' as it's a gorgeous Kylie Jenner red toned plum shade that is so me. 'Light It Up' is a vivid red which I was expecting to lean more on the orange side however on it rings as a true red.

The formula of these little pencils is incredible, they apply smoothly and at first have a slight sheen to them which after a few minutes disappears and leaves you with velvety smooth matte lips. I know these pencils were marketed as a lipstick with the added benefit of being able to use as a liner, I personally can't use them as a liner unless freshly sharpened but the is not an issue for £4.99 a piece. I'm really hoping Maybelline release some further shades to the line as these pencils could give their more high-end rivals a run for their money.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick | Subtle Coral

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick | rrp £6.99

I probably didn't need to make another addition to my already ridiculously large lipstick collection however when I hear that magical word 'coral' I have to purchase it, no matter what it is or how much it may set me back. When in boots the other week browsing the aisles I was drawn to the Max Factor stand for two reasons, their new Creme Puff Blushers and this chubby stick style lipstick.

So what's the Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick all about? Max Factor describe them as 'all the colour without the sticky opaqueness of a traditional lipstick. The formula is water based and penetrates the top layers of the lips to create non-transferable layers of colour with depth and intensity'. Firstly I wouldn't describe the finish intense or pigmented but more like something between a tinted balm and a solid gloss. My lips are naturally quite rosy coloured so I didn't benefit from this shade as much as I imagine others would.

Looking at the product itself it does look coral, the peache tones are obvious however as you can see it looks pink on my lips. The colour isn't a disappointment though, I have found this is one of those products which is great to apply on the go as it's not so pigmented you don't feel the need to apply in front of a mirror. Would I repurchase? Probably not. When thinking of a hydrating lip product that delivers intense colour through a pen style stick I much prefer my Chubby Sticks from Clinique.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream | Stockholm

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream | Stockholm | RRP £6.50

NYX is a brand I haven't tried very much of, mostly because they seem to be utterly hopeless at restocking their website so the few products I do own from them I have come across merely by chance. 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream's are a pout paint that glide on and set to a matte finish. What I love about this particular matte lip product is that despite having a durable finish it's not at all drying and wears off evenly. Stockholm is a gorgeous nude shade that is just perfect for any daytime look.

Have you tried any of NYX's products?

No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm - Blush Coral & Blink Pink

I must admit when I first heard there was another BB product being released I just thought it was going to be another product that makes a thousand promises and just doesn't deliver but I have to admit I was wrong where these two are concerned! 

No7 BB Lips  rrp £9 are an all-in-one lip balm that provides UV protection of SPF 15, soothing nourishment and topped off with a sheer wash of colour. My biggest concern with them being described as 'a similar finish to lip gloss' was that they were going to be just that, a sticky lip gloss type formula. I was pleasantly surprised to find they are more in fact a balmy formula with a glossy sheen to them.

BB lips have been a gorgeous alternative to your conventional lip balm over the winter and as I try to keep my makeup quite simple for work they have given me a lovely fresh finish for my lips. My favourite of the two has to be Blush Coral as it's a gorgeous wash of peach however Blink Pink is a lovely pale pink shade that really compliments my natural lip colour.

Have you tried BB Lips? What are your thoughts?

Topshop Sheer Lips in Alibi

I don't know about you but I am totally embracing the lighter, fresher makeup trends for SS15. Not only ditching the heavy winter makeup give me that extra 10 minutes in bed in the morning but it's also getting me excited about spring's neighbour summer!

Over the last 6 months Topshop have brought us some gorgeous beauty offerings and today's post is one of those. The Sheer Lips range are a moisturising, balm like lipstick that offer a medium yet build able slick of colour in a creamy, slightly glossy finish. I'm embracing the barely-there face (which actually takes me like 15 more products to achieve!) and this nude shade is great for just that.

The only thing I will say about this peachy little nude shade is that if you have rough, dry lips then you may find the colour settling onto the dry patches a little. Other than that I absolutely adore it! I'm pretty sure Topshop's Sheer Lips will be the only lipsticks in my bag this spring/summer!

Makeup Revolution Lip Hug Lipsticks in To Get Lucky and Love Can Set You Free

A couple of weeks ago I did a small Makeup Revoution haul and included in said haul were their new Lip Hug lipsticks in the shades Love Can Set You Free and To Get Lucky. After seeing a few previews on Instagram of these lipsticks and the claim of incredible colour and staying power with a comfortable formula I couldn't resist adding them to my order.

I took a bit of a gamble with choosing the shades I did as the swatches aren't the best on their website but without sounding too careless with my money I really didn't mind for the money. I can joyfully say I love the shades and the formula!

Love Can Set You Free is an extremely wearable muted pinky brown shade which has been my go-to nude shade since receiving it. As you can see the finish has a slight sheen sand leaves your lips feeling moisturised and comfortable,

To get lucky is a gorgeous berry shade which I wore Christmas day and it lasted surprisingly well through eating and drinking. I did find the colour bled a little bit with this shade but found it to wear better with a lip liner.

I love these new offerings from Makeup Revolution and will definitely look into adding more shades to my collection when I see some more swatches online.

Clinique Intense Moisturising Chubby Stick in Grandest Grape

I don't know about everyone else but with the Christmas party season being upon us, the constant changing of lipstick and cold weather is really drying out my lips and Clinique's Intense Moisturising Chubby Sticks rrp £17 are a great solution to my problem.

I own a few of the original moisturising Chubby Sticks but the formula of the Intense ones is really hydrating and leaves lips so soft and nourished. Grandest Grape is a beautiful berry toned lip colour that is just perfect for this time of the year.

£17 may sound a little on the expensive side for a coloured lip balm you might say but the colour pay-off is so rich and the formula really is so moisturising that they are totally worth it!

Topshop Naturist Lipstick

Last week I indulged my Topshop lipstick collection with a new addition Naturist rrp £7. Described as 'a pinky nude' it bares a striking resemblance to my MAC Faux lipstick, only slightly less pink toned and leaning more on the chocolate side.

I adore this colour, it has a definite Kylie Jenner 90's nude feel to it and is the perfect shade for winter. The finish is a creamy satin and really leaves lips feeling moisturised and nourished. 

Topshops AW14 makeup range is really impressive, from 90's nudes like this to gorgeous metallics there really is an affordable option for everyone.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon

I seem to have been indulging my blusher addiction a little too much lately, but with a product that doubles as a lipstick as well as a blusher what's to feel guilty about?! One of the latest additions to my Bobbi Brown collection is Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon rrp £19

Fresh Melon is a gorgeous pink/peach shade which is perfect for that barely-there daytime look. I love this shade, it gives a healthy flush of colour to cheeks and is an equally gorgeous nude shade on lips. As with all of the other Bobbi Brown Pot Rouges that I own the formula is easy to warm and applies beautifully to skin, leaving a subtle sheen.

If you don't own one of these versatile blushers you should really think of investing in one!

Kylie Jenner Lips - MAC Faux Lipstick Review and A Dupe!

I'm a little obsessed with the nude 90's lip that Kylie Jenner has been rocking lately and although she's never confirmed which shade she wears a lot of beauty enthusiasts have said it's MAC's Faux lipstick. Not only do I bring to you today MAC Faux but a dupe so good I really had trouble telling them apart when uploading my photo's to this post! 

So here we have MAC Faux...

And NYX Thalia...

On lips you can barely tell them apart! Here's a couple of swatches...

L MAC Faux
R NYX Thalia

NYX's Thalia is a great dupe for MAC Faux, so if you're looking for a cheaper alternative for Kylie's nude lip I would definitely recommend it! 

MAC Faux is a satin formula which glides on to lips and has a gorgeous vanilla scent very typical of MAC's lipsticks, I've been wearing it every day since purchasing, it is gorgeous! NYX Thalia is a similar creamy formula, it feels a tad more waxy but at a quarter of the price of Faux I think we can live with that!