Beauty Products Worth The Hype #1

Hi Ladies, I've been a rubbish blogger this month. I just haven't had the inspiration or energy to write anything! I've been meaning to do this post in awhile though so I'm hoping it's gonna be my kick start back into daily blogging! Let's hope :-) 

Here are some of the products I feel are definitely Worth The Hype!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - One of if not 'The' most famous eye shadow palette's ever made. It's talked about on probably every beauty blog ever created at some point and there's a big reason why. It's stunning. Mine is looking a bit worse for wear as I've used it on a daily basis for nearly two years now. It was my first high end make up purchase and it was well worth the money. 

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme Cup - My first MAC purchase and I'm on my second tube of it now. I keep it for special occasions and this is probably the only MAC product I will be re-purchasing. It's the most gorgeous nude pink. I love to wear it with a strong smokey eye on a night out. 

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - When I first got into the whole 'beauty' thing, there was two eye shadow primers that everyone and their mother where talking about on the web. This one and the Urban Decay Primer Potion. I've tried both and I can't really see the difference in either them. They are both amazing at making your eye shadow bullet proof. 

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner -  Back about 18 months ago I was obsessed with finding the perfect liner for me and I did. The Bobbi Brown Gel Liners are expensive yet worth it in my eyes. They stay on me right up until I take them off. They go on smooth and dry instantly so I don't get any smudges which is something I hate, especially when you've just taken god knows how long doing your eye shadow!

MAC Studio Finish Concealer - I'd heard a lot about this concealer through the pixiwoo girls on youtube so on my birthday the year before last I picked it up. I love it and It's a great for hiding blemishes and redness. I use something a bit less drying for under my eyes but this is still an amazing concealer. 

St Ives Apricot Scrub -I been using the St Ives Facial scrubs for a long time now. So long in fact that the scent of them is very comforting to me......strange I know. They just make my skin feel super soft and help with fighting blemishes! They are also very inexpensive which is always a plus in my book :-)

Burt's Bees Lip Balm - I got into the Burt's Bees lip balm when I bought their lucky dip bag last year. They are probably one of the only lip balms I find actually work on my dry lips. Not just soothing them at the time they're on my lips but keeping them hydrated for a long time after. My favourite's are the original and the mango. 

The Body Shop Body Butter - I suffer with dry skin all year round so I always make sure I have a Body Shop Body Butter in the house. I love them. Some more than others but all of them do some form of good for my skin. My favourite ones are the Mango, Shea and Strawberry. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush - My brother bought me the Real Techniques Core Collection for Christmas and I've made good use out of it. The brush I love most is this Buffing Brush. I can understand why so many people love it, it helps me to achieve such a flawless application and as you can see from the dirty brush, I use it very often! 

Collection 2000 Cream Puff - These were very popular not so long ago and I managed to pick up the colour Fairy Cake, it's a gorgeous pinky/coral colour. Stunning in the Spring time when you just want a pop of colour to your look. It has great staying power and I don't find them too drying for my lips! 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation  - I reviewed this foundation here - where I talk about it in a lot more detail. All I'll say is that I love this stuff, it makes me feel better about myself when I wear it...which is what makeup is for right?!

Leighton Denny Nail Polish - Supermodel - Not long ago I had an addiction to the QVC beauty channel and I often saw this beautiful shade being painted on many nails! When I found out it was being offered for free with a magazine I ran out looking everywhere for it! It's a gorgeous neutral polish that flatters everyone! When I painted my nan's nails with it she loved it so much that she went online and bought it the same night!  

China Glaze - For Audrey - I have a love Audrey Hepburn movies. Sabrina and Roman Holiday are classics. I loved the idea of this being in memory of her and after I saw what the colour looked like I knew I had to have it! It's a stunning and sophisticated Tiffany Blue polish. 

Hope you enjoyed this post and if you read it all then good for you! 

I know it's been a long one ;-) 

Linzi xxx

REVIEW + Swatches of Urban Decay's Naked Palette

Hullo Lovely ladies!

It's a big post today :-) Lots of pictures for you! You've been warned ;-)

Urban Decay's Naked Palette was one of the first "High End" products I had ever bought, It was so raved about online that I was desperate to get my hands on it. I was finally able to purchase it around this time last year and I've I worn atleast one shade everyday since. 

It's a very adaptable palette, I'm able to make a lot of different looks with it, whether I want a dramatic smokey eye or just a casual everyday look. 

Urban Decay are really great at making beautiful, unique and pigmented eye shadows. 

Yes like most brands they have their faults, mainly that some very similar shadows are re-released with different names and some have way to much glitter for anyone to pull off but I can honestly say that I wont be looking back, this palette will no doubt stay by my side for a long time. 

Last summer when I went to Spain for a family holiday and for my eye makeup I only used this palette and for the whole two weeks there I never repeated my look! 

One of the things I dislike about this palette though is the packaging. It's made out of some type of velvet material so everything sticks to it! Which can make it look dirty easily. Also the embossing isn't that great, the day I got it some of the "N" started to disappear. It just makes it seem like they shirked on the quality of the packaging but as long as they didn't on the actual products inside then I'm not too bothered.

Urban Decay seem to have noticed the flaws and the recent release " Naked 2" has a different design, its made out of metal instead which must make it a lot easier to keep clean.

Onto the shadows

"From L - R - Virgin, Sin and Naked"

Virgin - A pale shimmery nude, great for highlighting the brow bone.

Sin - A Pink Champagne. One of my favourites from the palette as you can see I've used a lot of it :-)

Naked - Matte Light beige. I like to use it in the crease if I have a lot of shimmer on my lid. 

"From L - R - Sidecar, Buck and Half Baked."

Sidecar - Shimmered bronze with pink undertone, very pretty but is my least used as it has a lot of chunky glitter.

Buck - Dark Matte Brown.

Half Baked - Lovely bright gold, very smooth and pigmented. 

"From L - R - Smog, Darkhorse and Toasted"

Smog -  Dark bronze with golden shimmer.

Darkhorse - Chocolate brown with shimmer, a lot more sheer than the rest of the shadows. 

Toasted - Pink taupe with shimmer, very pretty on the eye. 

"From L - R - Hustle, Creep and Gunmetal."

Hustle - Brown shimmer with purple undertone.

Creep - Sheer black with silver and blue glitter.

Gunmetal - Grey with a almost duo chrome blue undertone and silver glitter. Very pretty but just like Sidecar has chunky glitter. 

All in all this is pretty much my favourite palette, especially when you think about how each urban decay eye shadows are priced at £14 each and your getting twelve full sized shadows here for just £36. 

Though I don't think I will be purchasing the Naked 2 palette as it seems to be very similar and I already have some of the shades.

My most used colours from the palette are - Virgin, Sin, Naked, Smog, Darkhorse and Half Baked.

The ones that I rarely use are - Sidecar and Gunmetal, mainly because I hate finding glitter on random parts of my face hehe

I bought my palette from Debenhams and included was a lovely eye shadow brush and a small sample size of the primer potion :-)

This is definitely worth the hype and is a Holy Grail product for many beauty bloggers.

So it has its faults but that wouldn't stop me from repurchasing if I ever get through all the shadows *Highly unlikely!* 

Do you own the Naked Palette? Love it or hate it?? 

Hope you all had a great weekend :-) 

Linzi xxx

My March Favorites

Happy April Fools day everyone!

Its the first of April today so Im writing a post on all the things I loved in March.

Viva Glam Gaga is a bright blue toned pink. Its a lovely colour for spring and is a lustre fomulation which means its very glossy on this lips. Sadly this one melted in my bag a few months back but Im still trying hard to use it. 

The suns been great these last couple of weeks for so early in the spring, hopefully it means we will  have a hot summer this year. I've been wearing this everyday since the suns been out and im loving it. This is a great body butter for all skin types, It has a very exoctic pure coconut smell.

Bobbi Browns Long Wear Gel Eyeliner In Espresso Ink. This is my favorite eye liner and I have not just been wearing this all of last month but nearly all year and I'll be buying another when I run out. It such a smooth and pigmented colour to use and lasts all day.

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara in black, I recieved this in a set with two Bobbi Brown eye liners and a Ultra Fine eyeliner brush. Its a great mascara that gives you length and volume with out the clumps.

Mermaid Blue

This is a lovely bright metalic blue from Maybeline.  

This is a NYC nail polish called Light -Camera - Glitter. I only bought it last week but It hasnt been off my nails since. I love it. It looks amazing over any colour :)

This is a mini bottle of OPI's Cajun Shrimp. I recieved it in a set from QVC. Its great for spring and summer. I love it on my toes :)

This is Love Etc, by The Body Shop. Its a really nice pretty scent that is not too imature. I bought it in a set in the sales. It came with a 200ml body wash and cost just £6. It's a lovely smelling perfume for the price. Ive been wearing nearly every day since I bought it.

This is a body spray from Boots' Natural Collection in Mango and Papaya. It's only £2 and is lovely and refreshing.

This last month I have been using Urban Decays Naked Pallete on my eyes a lot. Its great for a nice subtle eye and a bright lip.

I have been using Laura Geller Spackle Primer in Champayne this month, under my foundation, It gives a lovely glow to my skin and helps with any dry patches.

Carrot Moisture Cream from The Body Shop, great for a face cream and inexpensive at £4.

This is a small Lancome lip gloss that I recieved last christmas with a perfume set that included a mascara and eye shadow. Sadly it doesnt have a name written on it,  Its a light pink with lots a shimmer.

 

This is The Body Shop Born Lippy Lip Balm Stick in pomegranate, Its smells lovely and leaves your lips hydrated and smooth.

Flake Away by Soap and Glory

This is a great scrub that I use around three times a week, it leaves my skin smooth and smelling lovely.

                                                                    Thanks, Linzi xx