6 Favourites: Blushes.

L-R: Bourjois Blush Pot in Rose D'or, MAC Wonder Woman Blush in Amazon Princess, Smashbox blush in Proof Sheet, MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Power, MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty & MAC Mineralize Blush in Hang Loose.

I've done full posts on most of these products but I thought I would just do a quick post about the six blushes I've been reaching for recently. Usually it would have been 5 Favourites but I couldn't pick five!

Bourjois blush in Rose D'or is probably a blush most people have, and one which I absolutely adore. I've had a few compliments recently on this blush, not just in blog comments but in person too which is lovely. I've been told I really suit this blush so it's one that I wear most. Its a gorgeous pink with a gold iridescent glow to it. It looks really lovely on and it lasts for such a long time too. It really is that perfect natural colour.

MAC Wonder Woman Blush in Amazon Princess is also one I wear often, it's different from the pink blushes I usually wear as it's a bit brighter and also has blue/purple undertones. It only takes a small amount to look gorgeous so I can imagine it lasting a long time, it also stays on all well which is handy for wearing during the day.

Smashbox blush in Proof Sheet is another pink colour blush, but it's also leaning towards a nice coral colour. This is similar to the Bourjous Rose D'or and MAC Dainty but it doesn't have the glitter through it which makes it slightly more natural and matte. I wear this to work a lot to give me a nice glow.

MAC Fleur Power is a darker pink which I also absolutely love. It doesn't have any glitter in it, which is sometimes nice for a change, especially as you can mix and match with different highlighters. It's such a gorgeous colour, and the quality of MAC blushes is excellent. Well worth the price! This is actually the only powder blush I have by MAC that isn't mineralize (I think...) but this is probably going to change soon.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty is the first MAC blush I purchased and I think what began my blush buying frenzy. It's a light pink colour with a gorgeous glitter through it. I have a few light pink blushes because I think it's my natural glow anyway so I suit it best. It's also not too daring for daytime either.
Probably one of my most used blushes, it looks good on anyone.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Hang Loose from the Limited Edition In the Groove collection that everyone went mad for. It's a nice light pink teamed with a lilac/lavender colour. I have never seen a lilac blush before, and I wouldn't ever wear the lilac alone but blended together it looks so lovely.
I've only worn this a few times, but I like it because it's not like any other colour I own.



L-R: Bourjois Blush Pot in Rose D'or, Smashbox blush in Proof Sheet & MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty.



Bottom to Top: MAC WW Blush in Amazon Princess, MAC Mineralize Blush in Hang Loose & MAC blush in Fleur Power.

I'm a bit of a blush obsessive so I change which blush I use everyday. What are your thoughts?

Facetime.

Close up alert. I thought today I would test my Smashbox Eyelights Palette so I tried it out for work this morning. Before this, I'd never tried Smashbox eyeshadows but I don't really wear eyeshadow so that's not surprising.
I went for the typical smokey eye and I think it turned out quite well! I just had a look in the mirror and after about 9 hours it still looks pretty good! I use ELF Primer, which I love and it has kept it all in place but obviously it has creased. What can you do eh.
I love the colours of the palette, they blend together so well which is good for someone like me who doesn't often experiment with eyeshadows.

I'm also wearing:

MAC Studio Fix Fluid
L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer
MAC Wonder Woman Blush - Amazon Princess
Topshop Highlighter - Sunbeam
Benefit Browzings
Topshop Gloss in Ablaze

The Topshop highlighter and gloss are still my absolute favourites. The highlighter is perfect for creating a nice dewy look and the gloss is amazing because it's very pigmented but a gloss so my lips don't get dried out, which happens with lipstick.
I'm still a massive fan of the Wonder Woman blush too, it's not like any of my other blushes. Anyone else have it & think it's gorgeous?

Smashbox Haul.

I recently bought quite a few things from Smashbox, which I think has some really lovely products. I bought the Publicist Powder Blush, Double Exposure Lip & Cheek Colour in Irresistible, Proof Sheet Powder Blush, Cream Eyeliner Pencil in Antique Gold and Eyelights Palette in Special Effects.
I can't stop buying blushes recently, I'm pretty sure they all look the same anyway! Such lovely pink colours, I can't wait to try them.


I just swatched the blushes on paper, but you can see the Smashing Publicist blush is a gorgeous peachy colour, and I think this is my favourite one. The Proof Sheet blush is a bit more of a rosy pink, which is nice and natural for day time & work.
The lip and cheek colour is a bit more of a coral/pink, which looks lovely on my lips. I will probably end up wearing this more of a lip tint because I tend to wear powder blushes.
It's so lightweight, it doesn't even feel like I have any lipgloss on. It doesn't feel sticky either, which is a massive pro! It's quite natural, it gives a slight pink tint to the lips rather than a full on gloss. It's also moisturising which is a plus for me as my lips are constantly chapped!

The cream eyeliner just glides on, so creamy and easy to apply. I've never worn a gold eyeliner before so it's definitely something I want to try. I always wear black eyeliner which is getting a bit old now.
I'll probably use this with the palette I bought, or maybe use it above my black liner sans eyeshadow.






I absolutely adore this little palette! It'll be so good for taking away with me when I travel. I love nude and natural colours, I'm not brave enough to wear anything too bright. I can't wait to try this on, I haven't swatched it but I'll take a picture of it on this week.
I'll use the first shade (L-R) on my brow bone, the second on my lid and the third on my eye crease.
The palette comes with a reasonable sized mirror and a little brush (which I usually throw away if its the sponge applicator but one side is a small angled brush which may be good!).
I love the Smashbox packaging, it's simple and chic. Although the rubber exterior does get really dirty but I think it can be wiped away with a wet cloth. I love the plain font, I think it's really classic.

I'd definitely recommend the Smashbox brand if you haven't tried it already, the products are amazing quality and good value. I've got a few products from Smashbox in the past and most of them I use every day.

I also got a sample of the Photofinish Primer (which I already have and love) and the High Definition Foundation which I'm excited to try. I love samples!

What are your favourite Smashbox products? Any recommendations?

5 Of the Best: Highlighters.

I think using a highlighter makes such a difference, especially as I don't have the best skin. A good highlighter will brighten dull skin, have light-reflecting pigments to cover blemishes and imperfections, and smooth over skin, hiding pores. For me, this is essential in my everyday makeup routine. 

A highlighter can brighten your overall appearance, and make tired-looking skin looking full of life. 

I'm going to introduce you to my five favourite highlighters, some of which are creams whilst others are powders. 

MAC Strobe Cream

I'm sure everyone has at least heard of this product. I use this every day, and I love how it transforms my skin. I've been using it for a few months now and I love it. MAC say "Brightens and clarifies with iridescent particles and antioxidants. Enhances the effects of light on all skin" which is exactly what we want. It uses botanicals, vitamins and green tea to add some life to your skin. I use this all over my face, on top of moisturiser. Although it can be used on its own (I wish!) I always wear foundation on top, which gives me a lovely healthy glow. I've recently had a few compliments on my complexion and it's all down to this little lovely. If you don't already have this in your makeup bag, then I'd really recommend it. It doesn't make skin shine, just simply adds a subtle but gorgeous sheen.

Benefits High Beam

Ahh the famed High Beam. I can guarantee that everyone has this in their collection, it's just one of those cult products isn't it. High Beam is a "complexion enhancer" which creates "that natural, radiant glow you've always desired" say Benefit. I've been using this product for years now, and we've been through a turbulent relationship in this time but I've finally accepted this product for what it is. Whilst I use MAC Strobe Cream all over my face, High Beam is destined for those special areas you want to be noticed, such as your cheekbones, your brow bone or down your nose. I use this usually only on my brow bone, which I think works amazingly well. High Beam is quite pigmented, more so than MAC strobe cream I would say (but it is more of a pink undertone as the picture shows). I used to apply this over my foundation to my cheek bones, but I found that it didn't blend in so well with my foundation. I now use a powder for this area. Once I had worked that out, I began to see High Beam in a whole new light. 

High Beam is a lot thicker than other liquid highlighters such as Strobe Cream, and it's also quite gloopy. 

Although I do recommend this product, you really have to find out what works for you. I absolutely love High Beam just under my eyebrow to accentuate the arch but you may find other uses for this. 

Smashbox Soft Fusion Lights in Baked Stardust

This is one of the first Smashbox products I've tried and I don't think I've put it down since. Smashbox say "The illuminating formula softens the way light reflects on your skin and wakes up your complexion for a radiant look" which is what it does. I apply this to my cheekbones (sorry High Beam!) to give a subtle sheen and a lovely glow. I don't use a bronzer, but this does have a slight bronzed look to it, so this sort of is my bronzer. I can't fault this product, it's less noticeable than other powder highlighters I've tried and the 5 different colours give such a nice natural glow. I'm quite pale (NW20) and happy with that, so it's nice to have a small amount of bronze added to your face which will catch the light and brighten your appearance. 

I guess you could sweep this product around your face, but I find it works best with just a small amount on my cheeks. 

Bourjois Illuminating Touch

I've always been a massive fan of Bourjois little pots, especially their blush pots. I found this about a year ago, and it's always been something I reach for. It's more iridescent than the other highlighters i've mentioned, and a lovely natural peach colour. Although it's a bit more glittery, it gives a subtle glow which helps to sculpt the face. I think this is a bit more natural than the other highlighters. 

I'd definitely recommend this product, it goes really well with a nice pink/peach blush and really injects some glow into your skin. 

Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam

Okay so I know I only bought this a few days ago, but I am seriously in love. This product is so lovely and pigmented, Topshop say it is a "Shimmering silky golden highlighter to add lightness and radiance to face and body". 

I know this will become a permanent product in my life, the lovely golden colour is gorgeous and it really does give you a gorgeous glow. I use this along my cheekbones and on my temples, but it can be used all over the body - on the collarbones or around your cleavage. 

This looks amazing on my slightly pale skin, but I know it will look lovely in the summer with a tan as well. 

If you don't already have this, you really need this in your life. 

So there is my 5 Best Highlighters, let me know what you think. I'm thinking about making this a regular feature so if you want to suggest something for me to review, I'd definitely be up for it. 

In other news, I'm selling two of my favourite dresses on ebay, which can be found here. 

Valentines, FOTD & Topshop.

Ahh Valentines Day! Just another day to me usually, I didn't get anything for Graeme but we had a nice dinner on Saturday and we're having another one tonight. Graeme got me my Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume which I posted about earlier, but this morning these came for me! No one has ever given me roses before! The card says "from your secret admirer ;)" awww :) 

Today I bought this gorgeous Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam. I had been looking at it before, it's an amazing colour and so pigmented. I think one sweep on your cheekbones is enough, I can't ever imagine finishing this product, even if I used it four times a day. 

It gives a subtle glow to wherever you use it, I use it on my cheekbones. So lovely! Even my boyfriend noticed it. 

I also got a new blusher brush (pictured below) because I was getting sick of my ELF bamboo one. Hopefully I will have more luck with the Topshop one. I love new brushes, so soft. 

I got this headband from Topshop as well, but not sure how I feel about it... The bow is quite big and flappy and I'm not sure if it's very me but I love the colour. 

Another FOTD, but I was enjoying my makeup quite a lot today so I thought why not? The products I used are the same as yesterday except I finally used my Sleek Storm palette! From the palette I used the second from the left on the top row for the lid & up to my brow, and then the first from the left on the bottom row for the crease and outer lid. 

What did everyone do for Valentines? So excited to read everyones posts! 

Last nights FOTD.

Last night Graeme and I decided to go out for some drinks in Leeds, so I thought I'd put up some pictures of my outfit & makeup.
I basically just wore the same outfit as yesterday, the peter pan collared crop top and black bodycon skirt, but put my cameo necklace on and some lovely Topshop heart suspenders.

I got them a while ago, probably in October/November but I love them! I don't like the Henry Holland suspender tights because I think they look odd (why the three suspender straps?!) but these are so cute.
I also added some eyeshadow from my Too Faced Natural Eye Palette and a touch of Topshop Brighton Rock lipstick.

MAC Studio Fix foundation 

L'oreal Touche Magique concealer

MAC Strobe Cream

Topshop Blush in Pinch

Smashbox Soft Fusions Highlighter

Benefit Brow Zings

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette 

MAC Prolong Lash

Rimmel Liner 

Nude Beach on my brow bone. 

Honey Pot on lid. 

Cocoa Puff on crease. 

And obviously my homemade studded leather jacket! 

Planning on doing absolutely nothing today! I love sundays. 

Makeup Bag.

First of all, I'm so sorry about the quality of the pictures. It's 9pm and quite dark so they're not great (I also had to use the flash and it highlighted how dirty my makeup is... lovely) but this is just an overview of my daily make up (similar to the Skincare post I did).
Obviously I have literally tons of makeup stored away but this is what I leave out and use daily, and also take with me a lot of time if I'm going out or whatever.

My makeup bag used to be gorgeous, I bought this from Superdrug around 4 years ago and I can't bear to throw it away (even though its dirty, faded, the zip is broken and my makeup doesnt actually all fit in it). Its purple and has a black damask pattern all over it (now tragically faded, RIP).

Okay so I think it's important to prime my skin first, since my skin is yuck and bumpy and not lovely like everyone elses. I don't always use all these products, but these are the ones I use more than others. They are: 

Benefit High Beam: I use this as a highlighter on my brow bone and cheek bones.

ELF All Over Cover Stick: I use this to cover any blemishes pre-foundation.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: A cult product, excellent primer to smooth out skin.
MAC Strobe Cream: Lovely used a primer, gives a subtle sheen and brightens dull skin.
MAC Matte Gel: Absorbs any oils, giving a matte appearance. I sometimes use this instead of the other primers.
YSL Touche Eclat: Another cult product which I use to hide my eye-bags.
Smashbox Under Eye Brightener: I sometimes use this alone or under Touche Eclat.
ELF Eyelid Primer: Excellent eyelid primer, makes sure my eyeliner & mascara doesn't leave black marks on my eyelids & holds on eyeshadow when I wear it. 

Terrible picture. My two favourite foundations and my absolute favourite concealer.
MAC Pro Longwear foundation NW20: amazing, amazing, amazing!

MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation NW20: I didn't like this at first and I prefer my Pro Longwear but sometimes I mix them together, and have only recently started wearing this alone for a more dewy look.
L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer: The best concealer money can buy, such a bargain and better than my MAC Prolong wear concealer!

 

I have a heap of powders, blushes and highlighters as you can see. These are my main ones, and I swap them around each day.

Sleek One Finishing Powder: A recent purchase, but really nice and fine.
MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty: Lovely rosy gold blush with a subtle glow. Perfect!

Smashbox Highlighter Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Stardust: Awesome highlighter.

MAC Select Sheer Loose Powder NW25: Slightly darker than my foundation, so I don't use this too much. Good for blending in & use it most at night.

MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Powder: Sets makeup, doesn't look cakey.
Bourjois Blush in Rose D'or: A new purchase, but definitely a favourite. Similar to the MAC Dainty blush. Very pink with a shimmer.

Bourjois Illuminating Touch: A great highlighter for cheekbones.

Topshop Cream Blush in Pinch: Another new purchase but so good!

I actually don't wear eyeshadow all that much... I'm not sure why! I use a few different mascaras at once though, but this one is my favourite at the moment. 

Sleek Storm Palette: I've actually never used this, it's too pretty! I need to experiment, I love the colours.

Mac Pro Longwear Mascara: I didn't like this at first but I use it every day now.

Rimmel Professional Liquid Liner: You can't beat this, and it lasts for so long!

Benefit Eye Bright: A great highlighter for eyes, I use it in the corners of my eyes to make them look wider and brighter.

Benefit Brow Zings in Medium: I love Brow Zings, I use it with a small angled brush (see below).

Two of my favourite lipsticks.
MAC Cremesheen in Speed Dial: Lovely pink colour, but not over the top.
Revlon Lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon: More of a daytime colour.
17 Lipliner in Rose Blush: This goes perfectly with the Revlon lipstick. 

My main brushes which are all different brands.
Models Own Eye Shading Brush: Just in case I decide to wear eye shadow.
MAC 190 Foundation Brush: I think everyone has this. Excellent foundation brush (although I don't always use it and I'm really lazy and never wash it!)

ELF Small Angled Brush: Perfect for eyebrows.
ELF Angled Blush Brush: I'm actually a bit sick of this, I don't like it as much as I used to so looking for a new one to replace this.
H&M Powder brush: I love H&M brushes, I used to have one for blush too. Lovely and soft, they stay like this for years and they're only a few pounds. 

So there you have it. An insight into my makeup bag, and all my daily products. If this post has taught me anything, it's that I need to keep my products cleaner and wash my brushes more regularly!

LEEDS!

Apologies for the lack of updates! I've been busy, busy, busy. As some of you know, I was leaving at home in Aberdeenshire after a rough few months in Leeds. However, I felt isolated and cut off living in the countryside and since I had no car, my life was literally non-existent! My boyfriend, pictured above :) asked me to come down and stay with him in Leeds as his flatmate was moving out. So I'm back! I didn't enjoy Leeds first time round as I was homesick and I got two jobs I despised, but I'm feeling good about it now. 

Graemes lease ends in March so I would like to move back to Scotland then but we'll see. 

We went out on Saturday night to a restaurant which is famous for being good, it's called Salvos and it's in Headingley. It has appeared on Gordon Ramseys The F Word, we went with two other couples that we know and I can honestly say it was the best meal of my life! 

I really recommend a visit if you're ever in Leeds (the lamb is incredible!). 

In other news, I have an essay to do for my course so I should really get that done soon... or at least make a start on it. My boyfriend doesn't have any gigs for a couple of weeks so it's lovely to just stay home with him and not having to deal with him jetting off to lovely places without me! 

We're going to London on friday as some of our friends are DJing so I will post some pictures of that, I'm so excited! I love London and we have lots of friends there we rarely see. I neeeed to find an outfit though. I bought this top from ebay, as I had seen it on Katy Perry but never actually seen it in Topshop. I am in love with it, but I have no idea what to wear it with! 

Isn't it lovely? I'm sure everyone and their mum has seen it before, but I'm really glad to have snapped it up at the very reasonable price of £13! 

If you have any suggestions on what I could wear this with, that would be appreciated! It's slightly cropped but I don't want to show off my love handles a'thankyaa. 

I've been having serious issues with my skin as of late, I've never had perfect skin but I go through stages of it being nice and then being completely disgusting, with breakouts all over the shop. The first thing I did when I got to Leeds was head to the Liz Earle shop and get her Hot Cloth Cleanser and the Skin Tonic. I also got a complimentary trial moisturiser for spending so much. I've never tried Liz Earles products before but now I have been converted. If you haven't tried these products, you absolutely must! My skin is looking a heap better (hopefully you can see that from the picture at the top...) 

EDIT: I'm sorry in all my rambling, I forgot to mention what I had on in my picture! Okaayyyy, here is a long list!

FACE: 

MAC Strobe Cream

Benefit High Beam

MAC Studio Fix Fluid & MAC Prolongwear foundation

L'Oreal Touche Magique concealer

YSL Touche Eclat

MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Powder

Bourjois Blush 48 Cendre de Rose Brune

Smashbox Fushion Soft Lights - Baked Stardust 

EYES:

Urban Decay Eyelid Primer Potion

Too Faced Naked Palette 

Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner

L'Oreal Volume Millions Mascara

MAC Zoom Lash Mascara 

LIPS: 

MAC Cremesheen Shy Girl 

My Products of 2011

Rather than, like everyone else, blog about the products I used in 2010 I thought I would write a post about the products that I intend to use in 2011. This is mainly because I have received so many lovely products recently from my birthday and Xmas (and I also like to believe that I'm optimistic... looking forward etc.)
There are a few products under each headline because I like to rotate what I use and I do have a few favourites. 

Face Wash: Neutrogena Multi Defence Purifying Scrub Although I only bought this a few days ago, I can tell this will be a favourite of mine. It's exfoliating but not too abrasive, it's also creamy and makes a lovely lather. It really makes my skin feel so good, and it's dried out my blemishes too. I would really recommend this for anyone who is prone to bad skin. 

Another favourite of mine is this Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. Although about 5 or 6 times the price of the Neutrogena face wash, I love the Bliss brand. I recently only found out that Bliss is made by the same company as Soap and Glory, another favourite of mine. This wash smells fruit and also has gentle exfoliating beads to buff your skin. 

Cleanser: Santuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser has been my favourite cleasner for the last few months, I love that it comes with a muslin cloth too. It really feels nice on your skin, has a creamy consistency and you can feel that it works. I wear a fair bit of makeup (who doesn't) so I feel I need to cleanse after I've washed my face at night. 


Although I'm using this cleanser, I really want to try the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, I've heard really good reviews about it. The only reason I haven't bought it yet is because it's so hard to find where I live. Time for an online shop I think. 

Toner: Avene Cleanance Lotion + Toner I don't often use toner, I read somewhere that it's not strictly necessary but when I do I tend to use this. 

Moisturiser: Neutrogena Multi Defence Daily Moisturiser I bought this with the previously mentioned face wash. It is now my favourite moisturiser! I use it at night too so I should really get the night version (probably no difference). It absorbs easily into your skin and is a great base for applying makeup. 


Shower Gel: Lush The Olive Branch Shower Gel is my favourite at the moment, it smells so lovely. I actually used it for a bit last year too. It stays on your skin for ages afterwards. 


Body Scrub: Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub this smells gorgeous! I absolutely love it, it leaves my skin feeling so nice and exfoliated. I'd definitely recommend this, the smell alone is so amazing. I also like Soap & Glorys Flake Away which is similar but just a basic sugar scrub, it smells lovely too. 


Body Lotion: Vaseline Cocoa Butter Body Lotion this is a lovely moisturiser which is great for all over. It smells gorgeous, I love to put it on at night to smell good and wake up with lovely smelling skin. 

Primers & Bases: Mac Strobe Cream & Smashbox Photofinish Primer I have only recently got the MAC strobe cream but it's definitely going to be something I use a lot. It gives a good base for foundation to be applied and also gives a natural, subtle sheen. I also really enjoy my Smashbox Primer which is somewhat of a cult product. Both really great products. 

Foundation: MAC Pro Longwear foundation NW20 & MAC Studio Fix Foundation NW20
At the moment I'm using only the pro longwear buuuut I have just bought some studio fix online and plan to mix them (I've always liked to combine foundations and I've heard these two are great together). Prolongwear is incredible. Before I made this discovery I used Clinque Even Better but it's got nothing on this MAC foundation. I will never change to another brand. Incredible! 


Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW20) this is also a new product but one which I have (also) fallen in love with. It hides blemishes so well and also my eye-bags! 
I also use L'oreal Touche Magique concealer and sometimes Benefit Bo-ing. All really great concealers that I still use. 

Highlighter: Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights is something I've been using for a while now, I just gently glide it over my cheeks before applying blusher. It's really lovely and subtle and looks so good in photos. I also like to use Benefits High Beam which is another great product which everyone seems to own. If I do use High Beam I find it's better under my foundation otherwise it sometimes gets a bit caked with the blush on top. 


Powder: MAC Select Sheer Loose Powder NW25 I've been using this for a few months now and I think it's amazing. I only use a tiny bit to keep my makeup in place and take away any shine, but it's really lovely. I have also just bought MAC translucent powder so I'm really excited about that. I've heard it's another great powder. 

Blush: MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty I've done a review of this before and it's still my favourite blush to use. Such a lovely shade of pink and the shimmer is gorgeous. I'd really recommend this product to everyone!

Eyebrow Kit: Benefit Brow-Zings has everything you could need to make the perfect eyebrows. Having lovely eyebrows is really important to me, so I always make sure they're in good shape with this lovely little kit from Benefit which has the wax to keep them in place and a powder to fill in any areas and give them a defined shape. 

Eyeliner: Bourjois Liner Feutre is my only eyeliner pen. I have about 40 mascaras (I'm insane) but only one eyeliner pen. This one is amazing, it's a bit like a felt tip pen. I always do eyeliner flicks at the corner of my eye so this is a crucial product for me. I'd really recommend this, I have the most shaky hands and can't draw a straight line but I somehow manage with this. 

Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara & Mac Zoom Lash are two of my favourites. Sometimes I'll use others such as MAC Pro Long Lash, for some reason I always find I get better results when I use two mascaras. I have quite long lashes anyway, so it doesn't matter too much what product I wear but these are all ones I plan to be using for some time. 


Lipstick: Rimmel Colour Show Offs I don't usually buy Rimmel products and generally, I don't think they're that great. However, I bought this lipstick because it was a lovely colour and it really is lovely. 

Lipgloss: Vaseline Cocoa Butter I'm not really a big fan of vaseline but this new Cocoa Butter version is lovely. Because Cocoa Butter melts at skin temp. it is like oil when you put it on making your lips moisturised and shiny. Everyone should own this. 


And so that's my list of my products for 2011. Although being the cosmetic addict I am, there will soon be more products which will be my favourites. 
What are your favourite products at the moment? 

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight Black

I was lucky enough to get a lovely little Smashbox present (all the way from America) from my boyfriend. I had run out of my usual liquid eyeliner, so it was great when he got me a little pot of gel-based eyeliner (which I've wanted to try for so long). To clear this up, his usual presents are fridge magnets and oversized tshirts which live in my pyjama draw, I guess he had been speaking to the consultant at the counter or something. 

I was eager to try this, and dug out my MAC 209 brush especially for the occasion. I'd never used a gel-based eyeliner before so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

Upon opening the product, it was quite tough on top. I wasn't expecting the eyeliner to be so viscous, and knew I was going to have some problems doing my eyeliner flicks with this liner. 

It was basically solid, and I had to dig into it to get some of the product on to my brush. I carefully applied it to my upper lid, which was no easy task. It went on quite thick and cakey, and because it was quite dry I couldn't blend it. 

Smashbox say the product "stays blendable for 60 seconds then dries to a smudge-proof, budge-proof finish that lasts all day"

My flicks on the outer corner of my eyelid were actually impossible, the product was far too dry and viscous to use! So i got my 209 brush and dug under the top layer (as you can tell, my pot is a mess...) and it was actually a bit more gel-like underneath. I was able to use this as an actual eyeliner, and it didn't look like I'd applied it with a shovel. 

As you can see from the swatches, it is a bit more blend-able now that I've pillaged the pot. Overall, this eyeliner was a bit of a let down. I expected big things from it, considering it was Smashbox and it came all the way from America. I might try leaving this in a warmer place, in an attempt to make it a bit more liquid and therefore, manageable. I'm not going to give up on gel liner, but I may try a different brand. 
Have any of you experienced any problems with gel liners? What are your thoughts?