Positive Vibes

Every time I say I am coming back to blogging; for some reason I fall back in to a busy lifestyle and forget how much I enjoy this.

Today's "come back" post is slightly different; its one filled with positivity and motivation that I have mustered up from the back of a dreadful couple of weeks and have finally seen a light at the end of the tunnel and although the battle has not been won yet, I know it will be soon and I am eternally blessed to have finally reached this stage of thinking. I now know that I have to think positively for when this (shit) storm finally passes, there will be so much to look forward to.

In the past year I have spent far too much time focusing on finding happiness from someone else I forgot how much things that I do for myself make me happy. I have learnt in the past few weeks that I am blessed beyond words to have an amazing support system with fantastic friends and family that have made me smile, laugh and forget what was bringing me down recently. I am truly thankful to all of my amazing friends  FAMILY for getting me through this...you are my TRIBE!

So as not to dwell too much on what has been happening but just to put a positive vibe to all reading my blog that whatever you are going through it really seems hard right now but surround yourself with good vibes and positive company and you will see you can get though it.

And so on that note I leave you with this...

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The Summer Nude(s) Edit - Reviews & Swatches

Wow! It has been over a year since I looked at my blog, let alone write a blog post but I am back again with a popular subject on my blog my Top 5 lipsticks and this time I am talking about Summer appropriate nude lipsticks. I say Summer appropriate nudes because with the amount of nude lipsticks I own every season will have its own Top 5 (that isn't a promise but I will certainly try)!

Obviously (disclaimer) these are nude lipsticks that suit my skin tone; medium-tan to deep skin tones with yellow and to neutral undertones. Thats not to say these wouldn't suit fairer skin tones too but these are definitely ones that I have more than often seen myself wearing leading up to Summer.

As with all my top 5 posts this one features lipsticks that have different textures, finishes, longevity and to suit different budgets.

To start it all off is my very first nude lipstick and obviously it is a Mac lipstick. Mac's nude lipsticks are generally amazing and there isn't a beauty enthusiast out there that doesn't own a Mac nude (or at least I haven't met one) but I feel this nude lipstick doesn't get enough credit for how beautiful it is and is too often over shadowed by the beauty industries cult Mac nude favourites. I own quite a few of those cult faves but this shade is still my favourite by far for my skin tone.

Spirit is a brown hue with a hint of pink and is a satin finish; it applies beautifully on the lips and is a great everyday lip colour that dries to a semi-matte finish. Paired with whirl lip liner its just enough colour to compliment a summer smokey eye. Due to it being a satin finish it does tend do fade throughout the day but it's such a fuss-free; lipstick one swipe over the lips and you are good to go again.

MAC Satin Lipstick - Spirit - £15.50 from MAC Cosmetics

You all know by now that a liquid lipstick would definitely make it in to my Top 5. And this one I have been so eager to talk about. This is by far the best formulation of any liquid lipstick that I have tried. Stila's liquid lipsticks come in a close second but this...this is just beautiful. The consistency is not thick or heavy, yet it has some serious pigmentation and applies so well on the lips.

I introduce to you Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in the shade Gemini.

Gemini is terra-cotta warm toned nude and has a matte finish, however is not drying on the lips at all. I am able to wear this all day and it feels really comfortable on the lips. I dont often have to touch up either and when I do it reapplies well and doesn't drag or flake the original application. For those who don't really like scented cosmetics; you may want to skip this one as it has a root-beer scent which is pretty strong on first application, however that disappears through out the day. Gemini is a great everyday nude lipstick equally I have worn it out to dinners and nights out and it has very quickly become one of my favourite nudes to wear this summer. Theres only one thing that I can say is con against all the pros to this amazing lipstick is that its so hard to get hold of its unreal. Actually thats the case with all of the products from Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Cocktail Cosmetics are the only supplier in the UK and there is a massive demand for these and they sell out so quickly and take what seems like a lifetime for them to restock and when they do...gone...in like 15 minutes. That being said its definitely worth the wait, so if you want to get your hands on this I suggest you follow Cocktail Cosmetics on Instagram and Facebook where they post the re-stock items and grab it!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick - Gemini - £14.00 from Cocktail Cosmetics

The next shade, is again a matte finish and its from a cosmetic line that does amazing affordable makeup. I'm sure you have all heard of KIKO Milano; if not then check them out not just for this lipstick but for other great budget beauty finds (their eyeshadows are fab). KIKO Velvet Mat Lipstick in shade 602 is one of my first KIKO purchases and one actually a friend of mine is so obsessed with that when she wouldn't stop going on about it I had to pick one up for myself (obviously)...and she was right it is a great every day nude lipstick.

As you can see the packaging of this lipstick is beautiful and isn't like normal lipstick packaging. It's very luxurious (considering the price range) and in order to open it you have to push the product out of the case, and placing it back into the case you hear a clicking sound so you know it is closed. This actually makes this a great hand bag lipstick as there is no concern of the lid falling off. Although matte; this lipstick wears well and is comfortable, however you will need to top it up after 4-5 hours and definitely after a meal and drinks. This is a natural rose nude, and a great dupe for MAC's Velvet Teddy. I usually wear this shade with MAC lip liner in Soar and it compliments the lipstick perfectly. 

KIKO Milano Velvet Mat Satin Lipstick - 602 - £6.90 from KIKO Cosmetics

OK, so if you are a regular readier of my blog you will know the next lipstick and the brand is no surprise to be featured in my Top 5 blog post. All I have to say is Charlotte Tilbury (Yaass)!!  

Hands down best lipstick formula I have ever tried; I don't own any of the matte ones (yet) and still these are my favourite lipsticks period! That's saying something considering I love my matte shades. 

There are a few nudes in Charlotte Tilbury's collection; I own two of them, but this one has to be my favourite out of the two. 

Packaging - Beautiful, Shade - Beautiful, everything about it - Beautiful!!

OK I will stop now...(maybe) This shade is called Stoned Rose; now let me tell you this wasn't one I was immediately attracted to when I looked at this collection when it first came out but this year I began to embrace different spectrums of nude lipsticks in my life and thought why not give this a try and let me tell you I have reached for this lipstick to wear so many times the past few months I may need to go out an buy a back up real soon. Stoned Rose is a warm pink-brown shade, it is a rich creamy formulation but stays up 5 hours on the lips. Another great every day lipstick for the summer, and compliments a range of skin tones; I definitely think this shade looks different depending on your skin tone and the colour of your lips nonetheless very flattering and a staple in my collection. 

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - Stoned Rose - £23.00 from Charlotte Tilbury

The final lipstick in this Top 5 is by Urban Decay; now this is the first time I'm featuring an Urban Decay lipstick even though I own quite a few. The reason behind this is because when Debenhams had their National Lipstick Day Sale I went a bit wild on Urban Decay lipsticks and when the box arrived I very quickly realised most of the ones I purchased were nudes. So you can understand why this one clearly has some importance as it's the one I wear the most out of my UD lipstick collection and it creeped its way into my Top 5 for good reason.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in the shade Rush, is a pink/mauve with a super creamy highly pigmented finish. Now I know most of you are thinking why am I raving about a creamy lipstick, but hear me out on this one. As much as I love matte lips, sometimes a creamy (not glossy) lipstick is great especially for the summer. It's formulation is hydrating and very comfortable to wear, of course it doesn't last hours on the lips; I get up to 4 hours before I have to re-apply. I love the gun-metal packaging on these, its very sturdy and the UD embossed on the lid just adds that finishing touch. This is quite a light shade; on my pigmented lips so I have to apply two layers to get a real amount of colour on my lips but the mauve undertones compliment my tanned skin really nicely. 

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - Rush - £15.50 from Debenhams

And thats my Top 5 nudes for the summer, many of these are similar in their shades but have different finishes and suit different budgets. These have been my go to's for the past few months because of the ease of wearing them and the fact that they are all great everyday lipsticks with minimal fuss. 

I hope this post has helped you all. Why not share with me your favourite nude lipsticks, I am always up for trying new shades and finishes. 

If you enjoyed this post, please like and comment below and be sure to follow my blog by subscribing on the subscribe box on the right hand side of this post. I will be doing more Top 5 Lipstick posts as we go into Autumn/Fall (my favourite season) so to ensure you don't miss them, subscribe! 

x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way affiliated or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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More than a Primer

I don't often declare something holy grail in my kit and my personal makeup stash; especially a product I've only been using for just under a month.

Alas here I am dubbing the Smashbox Primer Water officially Holy Grail and I assure for more reasons than just "it's a great primer" which by the way it is but more on that shortly. 

Smashbox Cosmetics, if you don't know is pro makeup brand from LA; their products are fantastic and we in the UK are lucky enough to have them available to us at most large Boots stores and online. Smashbox are renowned for their primers; with a range to suit all skin types and skin issues (e.g oiliness, redness etc). So when they released the "Primer Water" I had a feeling this was going to be something special.

The Primer Water is silicone free, alcohol free and oil free and dispenses a refreshing light mist on to the face. I use it after moisturising my skin and it instantly wakes me up in the morning, providing a smooth, hydrated base for makeup application. This can also be used to set makeup; it locks in the foundation and gives extra hydration especially as I tend to have some dry patches on my face and they begin to show throughout the day as my foundation begins to settle into my skin but after using this primer those patches don't occur and my makeup doesn't budge avoiding any re-applying. I've received comments on how vibrant and glowing my skin looks on days that I have used this which is always a bonus!

I have loved using this during the warmer days that we have had in London recently; spritzing it all over my face throughout the day to refresh my face and makeup. I did fear that my oily t-zone will get worse due to the hydrating properties in this primer; yet it didn't feel congested or look oily at all during the course of the day.

Smashbox really have changed the face primer game with this, its an all in one (holiday friendly); a face primer, a setting spray and a face refresher. This is a staple in my daily makeup routine and in my professional makeup kit. I absolutely love how this makes my skin look and feel when wearing makeup. It's my foundations new best friend!

If you have never tried a primer with your makeup before or if you are looking for a new primer give this one a go.

x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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Review: Naked on the Run

Yes I know; I am rather late to this party because this product arrived on beauty shelves months ago, however I think there isn't really a right or wrong time to showcase this little treasure chest (case) of beauty.
I am a complete Urban Decay addict; and their Naked collection is just a neutral girls dream come true and the actual Naked collection has grown vastly since the release of the original palette with foundation, blushes and concealers all appearing on the shelves. So when the holiday season of 2014 arrived the beauty brains at Urban Decay released a "holiday" palette; quite literally, a little box that has your eyes, lips and cheeks covered whilst travelling. When I say this palette has everything covered, I really mean it. It has everything to complete a look apart from the base.

 
The packaging like most if not all Urban Decay products is beautiful; a rose gold case with a pretty piece of artwork on the cover. It is definitely travel friendly with its sturdy and compact exterior and is a perfect size to fit in your (medium/large) hand bag, gym bag or hand luggage. The box it comes in is as beautiful with the same artwork all over and if your anything like me and love to keep your products in their box packaging you will love this. The box details all the products in the palette with a little synopsis of basically why you NEED this palette.

Enough of drooling over the packaging; lets move on to the product itself and the beauty inside.

Those of you that are familiar with Urban Decay palettes will know that they hardly get it wrong when it comes to pigmentation and texture and this little travel companion followed suit; with six beautiful never before seen neutral eyeshadow shades five bronze/brown shades and one champagne shade that doubles up as a highlighter these are all creamy in texture and highly pigmented and did I mention gorgeous! They apply so well and the longevity, well I shall drink to that; no primer and the shadows didn't start fading until nearly 8 hours later. Bearing in mind I don't have oily eyelids, but even then I am impressed.

The bronzer and blush combo are equally pigmented and with both a little goes a long way and would advise to start with a light hand and build the colour, especially with the blush as it is quite a vibrant pink shade (looks great on Asian skin tones by the way)!

Left to Right: Dive, Fix, Resist, Dare, Stun

Highlight Colour: 5050

In order to complete the look; the palette has a travel version of Urban Decays fantastic bristle brush mascara "Perversion" which provides length and volume to the lashes. I actually prefer this to any other bristle brush mascara I own as it does a great job in separating my lashes adding volume and some serious length. *flutters lashes*

The eyeliner pencil's from Urban Decay are by far one of my favourites I think I have most of the colours in my collection; so when I saw that this palette included a travel-sized version a part of me jumped up in glee! The 24/7 Glide on Pencil's are highly pigmented and do not budge once on. 

This palette includes the shade Stag is a beautiful dark brown which compliments any look that can be created from the eyeshadows in this palette. I like to use this on the lower waterline and tight line it on the upper waterline to give that faux-liner look.

No look is complete with out some lips colour; and this palette has that covered too. Now to be honest I am not a big fan of lip gloss so I was a bit "meh" when it came to the gloss that came with this; however (a big however) I was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed wearing this.

It has a peppermint scent and you get that tingly feeling on the lips when first applied giving the you the feeling its plumping them up. The shade is called Sesso; a beautiful sheer light rose that applies well, but naturally being a gloss doesn't last very long. 

Personally I would finish this off with a pinky nude lipstick because that is just me, but if your more of a gloss wearer then this formulation is fantastic and adds such a beautiful tint to the lips to compliment the eyeshadows and blush.

Below is a complete Urban Decay "Naked" look which I created using all the products in this Naked on the Run palette (even my eyebrows using the shade Dare) and my base was also Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation and concealer.

In summary; sure this palette is a little on the expensive side at £37, however for the amount of product(s) you get and the amazing quality of each I would say the price is more than justified. It really is a great product to travel with and is definitely going with me on my next trip away. This was initially a Limited Edition during the holiday season at the end of 2014 however I am pretty sure you can still pick it up at the usual Urban Decay stockists such as House of Fraser, FeelUnique.Com and Debenhams (look out for their 10% off beauty and grab it for cheaper). If you haven't tried Urban Decay products and are looking to try something from them; this would be a great first purchase as it gives you a taster of some of their cult products all in one.

Have any of you tried this palette? Do you love it? Let me know in the comments below!

x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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The Royal Pout

Yes OK I know Spring is here, but I am attempting to hold on to wearing a Purple lip as long as I can. Normally Autumn makes way for vampy/purple lipsticks and they tend to stick around right through the Winter; but I am one for breaking the norm and I shall have you know purple lip colours are more than welcome to make an appearance in Spring (well in my case they are)! That's not to say all purple lips are dark and vampy; you can also find beautiful shades of purple that can be worn any time of year. So before the pinky nudes and bright corals start signalling that Summer is on its way I want to share my Top 5 purple lipsticks while I can still get away with wearing them!

So normally I would stick my lip swatches of the products up; but this time I thought about showing you all how my Top 5 look on different skin tones and lips.

I am a huge fan of the colour purple it has to be one of my favourite colours to wear in terms of clothes (said whilst dressed in purple) and I love a smokey purple eye look; but when it came to purple lips I just wasn't daring enough. That is until I accidentally ordered a purple lip product online and now I just can't get enough of them. Get ready to witness an abundance of bold, vibrant purple lip colours.

No.1 Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm - Shameless (215) - Boots £7.99 (3for2)

This being my accidental purchase; initially I didn't think this colour would work well on my lips but then I swatched it and I have been a purple lip convert since. Revlon's Colorburst Matte Balm is exactly that; a balm that goes on matte and drys matte but doesn't leave your lips feeling dry nor does it flake after a few hours of wear. The velvety texture applies beautifully by gliding on to the lips and because it is a pencil it allows for precise application.

Coconut oil and Shea butter contribute to the formula of this lip pencil which helps to hydrate the lips throughout the day. It is intense and bold upon first application and because of the velvety formula it is build-able.  Although a balm; this takes nothing away from the brilliant pigmentation and long-wear attributes of this product, I can get at least 3-4 hours of wear before it starts to fade leaving a flattering (not patchy) stain which can be easily topped up (no flaking or caking in sight).

No.2 MAC - Heroine (Matte) - £15.50 from MAC Cosmetics

There's no purple like a MAC purple (not true but I liked the sound of that)!

Heroine is a cult Autumn lip colour (meh I wear it all year round) and is a firm favourite in the beauty world when it comes to talking purple lips as it suits a variety of skin tones. It is a highly pigmented bright violet and such a fantastic shade of purple that my collection of purples would be incomplete without.

If you are a bold lip lover and haven't quite found the right bold and vibrant purple this has to be one for you to try. Indeed it is matte; but it is a creamy matte which doesn't drag on your lips like the Retro matte lipsticks by MAC and is very comfortable to wear. You can wear this with or without a lip liner as it doesn't bleed and applies effortlessly on to the lips and the colour lasts up to 4-5 hours. Of course it tends to fade to a nice tint after eating or drinking but that's nothing a quick touch up won't fix.

No.3 Too Faced Melted Lipstick - Fig - £19.00 from Debenhams (Currently available with 10% off)

Although some may argue that this isn't purple at all I will say Melted Fig may not be as vibrant and bold as the other purples in my collection; rather it is more a muted raspberry pink with purple undertones therefore it makes the cut (and I adore it). It is described more as a lavender purple than violet purple; a great day time shade and is true to the colour on the packaging (totally purple).

The colour pay off on this is beautiful; its highly pigmented with creamy texture that makes it really comfortable to wear and lasts up to 4 to 5 hours on my lips without drying them out. Due to its intense pigmentation it does leave a slight stain on my lips once it wore off.  Being a huge fan of liquid lipstick in general this range caught my eye; the applicator is an angled sponge; I have to be honest I was a bit sceptical about this at first however to my surprise (and joy) the lipstick glided on to my lips with great precision and didn't drag at all. Once it has been applied it dries to a gloss like shine and is not sticky at all.

No.4 MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer - Kooky - £3.00 from MUA Store Online

Whats better than a liquid lipstick? A drug store liquid lipstick obviously! When you combine my favourite lipstick formulation and make it £3.00 I am absolutely intrigued and this particular lipstick just ticked all the boxes when it came to choosing my Top Five Purples. MUA Velvet Lip Lacquer is affordable and is highly pigmented which comes out true to colour on the lips and stays put for at least 3-4 hours.

Like most liquid lipsticks it applies opaque and dries to a matte finish; when I say matte I mean completely matte so make sure to prep your lips before hand (The Perfect Pout). This formulation is creamy but quite thick in consistency (compared to others brands) but that does not deter me from loving this lipstick; in actual fact I have found that due to this I have to use a lot less product on my lips and still get the desired coverage. If applied the right way this lipstick will not cake on the lips or dry them out; I tend to apply two to three thin layers using the doe foot applicator to intensify and this works great and helps it last that much longer throughout the day. I will admit that when this does start to wear off (which it will) after eating or drinking it starts to fade from the inside and leaves an outline of the product; should this put you off? No because thats nothing a little top up won't fix! 

No.5 MAC - Up The Amp (Amplified Cream) - £15.50 from MAC Cosmetics

Another MAC that is rather popular especially in the Autumn season; but looks ever so pretty in Spring. Contrary to the other purples in my top five this one is far from being matte; in fact this finish is more like a high shine gloss (without the sticky-ness), an intense colour however isn't very long wearing but we can get over that solely because it is such a beautiful shade.

Up the Amp is a stunning and unique shade of lavender violet which is both sophisticated and sexy, one that can be worn both during the day and will work to compliment a soft smokey eye for an evening look. As an amplified cream formula it is quite pigmented and has a lovely sheen to it but is creamy to wear and is opaque when applied so its not necessary to layer this on your lips unless you want to intensify the colour (by all means do). You can always pair this with a lip liner (I use Mac Heroine) and this can help it last up to four hours without having to re-apply.

Purples for me were a no go, as I am sure many with my complexion would think so too. The ladies that I tried these lipsticks on weren't sure either at first but each and every one of them that tried a colour loved the one that they were wearing.

So my advice, try it! Sure purple lipstick looks a little daunting but when it goes on the lips its a combination of daring, sumptuous and sexy.

*Please note all of the above swatches have only been applied once to show their colour and pigmentation, I advise layering the products in order to get the desired coverage and to intensify.*

A huge huge thank you to the lovely ladies Kalpna, Pritty, Krishna, Daksha and Rupa for volunteering their lips for my Top 5 Purple lipstick swatches! x


Janki  x o x o

Disclaimer:

All products mentioned were purchased by me and I am in no way sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.

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