Profusion Beauty Books...

Profusion Cosmetics are a US brand, recently launched in the UK and I was kindly sent two of their Professional Beauty Books to review - the Pro Face & the Pro Highlight.

I was instantly amazed at just how much product you get for your pound - and how versatile and 'user friendly' the shades are.

Although it was all positive so far, I knew the proof would be in the pudding, and I had to get them on my face!

The Pro Face Beauty Book contains 20 Eyeshadows, 2 Dual Brow Powders, 1 Brow Wax, 2 Highlighters, 3 Blushes, 2 Bronzers and 2 Pro Series Brushes.


I feel I can use every single shade in this palette, all the eyeshadow shades are buttery, blendable and the glitter shades are highly pigmented. The 'Medium Bronzer' shade is heaven and reminds me a lot of my Marc Jacobs O!Mega bronzer, one of those bronzers that never, ever looks too much.

The eyeshadows lasted well throughout the day and here's one of the looks I created;

Now onto the Pro Highlight Beauty Book...

After 1 use I had my ultimate highlight shade, 'Obsessed' & 'Tempting' mixed together - perfect!
I was notably impressed at the pigmentation and the range of shades in the palette. With 12 Highlighters (4 of them cream) and 3 Pro Series Brushes.

Overall, I have say I am completely blown away with the palettes - the quality for £14.95 is amazing. I love the fact that you have everything you need all in one place, the Pro Face Book would be ideal to take away on holiday.
Naturally, the US have more products available than we currently do in the UK, but I'm hoping that this changes soon as there's a few others that I have my eye on!

Both Beauty Books are available direct from the Profusion Cosmetics UK site, here.
Have you ever tried Profusion Cosmetics?

Lauren x

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Loella ‘Girl on Fire’ Brush Set - you’ll have a ‘Hunger’ for them after reading this..!

One of my favourite things to receive and try is makeup brushes, so when London-based cosmetic tools company Loella sent me their ‘Girl on Fire’ brush collection, I was over the moon.

Not only are these brushes super pretty to look at, they are cruelty free, making them 100% vegan.

Quirky makeup brushes seem to be everywhere at the moment and this collection from Loella does not disappoint! Something has to be said about the personality behind the brand judging by the names they have given the brushes; ‘Buffed up Briony’, ‘Contour diva Caty’ & ‘Powder woman Penelope’ are to name a few and it feels like you have your own girl gang helping you perfect your face!

The perfectly named set (as they actually look like they are on fire) have super soft synthetic hairs that pick up both power and liquid products amazingly well, the quality rivalling some ‘high end’ ones already in my collection.

My favourites from the set are;

• Buffed up Briony - Flat Kabuki brush
• Powder woman Penelope - Fluffy large powder brush
• Contour diva Caty - Angled blush and contour brush
• Blend me beautiful Betty - Large eye blender brush

The brushes can be bought individually, as the base set, or the full set, from the Loella website direct, here

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5 Favourite Nude Lipsticks

My favourite shade of lipstick to wear is nude, the deeper nude the better, so I thought I’d pull together 5 favourites to share with you.

Nyx Liquid Suede, “Sandstorm”

I find this formula very pigmented, lasts well and the colour is a very true nude, definitely sitting on the brown side of nude, rather than pink, which I like. I think this shade is flattering on many skin tones too.
For the price, I think the NYX Liquid Suede lipsticks are really worth the money and there's so many colours to choose from!


Mac Cosmetics "Velvet Teddy"

Macs most iconic shade, that was sold out for months on end after Kylie Jenner said she wore it. A matte formula but very comfortable to wear.
Described as a deep tone beige, it's your classic 90's lip shade. I find it very wearable and it's the perfect balance between cool and warm. It's also one of those shades that can look different on everyone - but I like that about it.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips "Best Actress"

A very recent addition to my collection, but has earned it's spot in this post after 1 wear, yes, I know!
The shade is the most perfect nude for me, a nude brown that's not too cool, neither too warm, just perfect.
The formula - creamy, lasts all day, when I say all, I mean ALL. I ate lunch, talked lots, drank lots of glasses of water - it was still there after a full day at work. Yes, it had started to fade, but I had to get up super close to notice. Ah-mazing - and I will certainly be returning to swatch some more shades.


Kat Von D "Bow And Arrow"

Super matte without drying your lips, it's very similar to NYX "Sandstorm" but it packs more punch. It's highly pigmented and lasting power is seriously good. It's the perfect warm, medium toned, brown shades and one you can slap on with any makeup look and it just works. Love!

Tom Ford "Sable Smoke"

A beautiful, creamy, caramel, nude shade. It applies like a matte formula, but has a slight sheen to it that doesn't make it look matte on the lips. It's super comfortable to wear. It's high end, super luxurious and worth every.single.penny.

I'd love to hear what your favourite nude lipstick is?

Lauren x

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Acrylic Storage From HerClutterBox

When you have a lot of makeup, organisation is key. I like to know where everything is and be able to see it at a glance. Hence why acrylic storage is a winner for me.

I've been very lucky to have been sent 2 of the Crystal Clear 5 Drawer units by MyClutterbox and have come to realise that bigger IS better when it comes to acrylic storage... It holds soooooo much makeup! Don't just take my word for it.. LOOK...

The quality is excellent, you can tell this from the minute you get it due to the sheer weight of it. It's made with the highest quality acrylic.

There are different styles to suit your needs and they come with drawer dividers so you can arrange your drawers however you want them!

The 5 drawer units have a flip top lid, 4 drawers of the same size and 1 larger drawer at the bottom.

The most recent set I've been sent have fancy, super shiny gold sides too.

HerClutterBox currently have 20% off their products on their website (here) so it's a great opportunity to invest if you have been looking at getting a set.

I highly recommend these drawers, and this is coming from someone who's had lots of acrylic storage, including Muji. While I still have lots of Muji storage and do think it's good, I think the amount and the types of products you can store in the MyClutterBox drawers are what sets them apart.

I'd love to hear / see how you store your makeup!

Lauren x

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Fairydrops Scandal Queen; A Magical Mascara

When it comes to lashes, I'm greedy. I want it all, length, volume, curl, lift... oh and all of that to last all day please (If you can't tell, I wasn't blessed with good lashes, so I need all the help I can get!)

I first saw Anna (The Anna Edit) mention Fairydrops mascara and seeing how much she raved about it meant I added it to my wish list, picked it up here and recently, it's been the only mascara I've been reaching for.

Before we get stuck in let's take a moment to appreciate the über cute packaging..

It's been named a 'pushup bra for lashes' and I totally agree with this, it does everything I want a mascara to do. No lash is left untouched and it creates a doll-like effect.

I can't say I have ever been interested to learn the background to a mascara, but a little bit intrigued by this one led me to learn that behind Japan's best selling mascara is Japanese celeb, Aya Yasuda who cut away at mascara wands at home to get to the perfect shape - hats off to Aya.

The bobbly, weird looking wand is truly wonderful, it not only lifts and separates, but lengthens and fattens lashes too.
If that isn't enough, it's enriched with five different treatment essences – squalene, jojoba seed oil, panthenol, hydrolysed collagen and moisturising hyaluronic acid – in English, this means you won't get crispy lashes, because let's face it, nobody wants crispy lashes.

Granted, it may not be the cheapest mascara, but it's totally worth it. Just one piece of advice - you'll need a good eye makeup remover!

What is your favourite mascara?

Lauren x

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Monthly Favourites | January 2016

So, we're a month into 2016 already and it has flown by.

Here's what I've been loving this month;

Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm

I did a recent blog post on this cleanser. I love this for my second evening cleanse, it removes all traces of make up and my skin feels lovely after using it. As you can see it's nearly all gone - it will definitely be a repurchase.


Bioderma

I bought the duo set of this while I was in Paris back in October last year, however Bioderma is now available at Boots, so much easier to get hold of for those of us in the UK! Bioderma was the first micellar water introduced to the beauty world, so for that reason it's a popular one and highly blogged about. I can't fault the product and really enjoy using it - I've been reaching for it every night this month. It doesn't sting my eyes, and removes the top layer of my makeup ready for me to go in with cleanser.


Imperial Leather Fruit Salad Shower Cream

This smells divine! Just like the sweets. I love anything that smells like sweets, especially retro sweets. It's named a shower cream, it is a thick consistency, and this feels very nourishing and luxurious on the skin. It's only £1 in Boots at the moment too! They also have a Marshmallow one (which of course, I have!) and a Sherbet Lemon one too, which I definitely want to pick up.


Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

I've had this in my collection a little while, but seem to have been reaching for it a lot this month. For a drugstore primer it's actually really good at mattifying and better than some high end ones I have tried! It creates a great base for my makeup, great price and actually does what it says! I still powder, my skin is seriously oily, but for someone with less oily skin I think this primer would hold shine at bay really well.


NYX Blush "Taupe"

Another item I've had sat in the depths of my drawers and found while I was having a tidy up (as you do!) is this blush. I've had this since Next had NYX stands in various stores, why did they have to stop selling it?! I know it's easier to get in the UK now online, but it was so handy being able to go swatch the products. The reason this one made it onto my list was Gracie Victory mentioning that it was a great contour shade - and it is, it's absolutely perfect. Been using it a lot this month and if you can get hold of it by any means, maybe Ebay, do it, you won't regret.


Real Techniques Bold Metals 301 Flat Contour Brush

This brush not only looks like heaven, but applies product like a dream too. I use it as it suggests, for contour. It applies powder and cream products so well, I've been using it with my NYX blush (above) and my Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel. It's a dense brush, but extremely soft and so easy to work with.



Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder "Translucent"

This powder sets like no other. For anyone with oily skin, you need this! I know loose powder isn't the most convenient or easiest to work with, I tend to use this at home and if I take a powder out with me, I will take a pressed powder, Rimmel Stay Matte is next in line after my LM. It's another product that I've nearly finished and I have no hesitation about repurchasing. It lasts forever too, I've had this over a year.


NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream "Stockholm"

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen my love for this lipstick this month. I've been feeling nudes recently, and this one just ticks all the boxes for me. It's the perfect nude shade. Even though it's matte, it's not one of these that you have to be super careful when applying. I have applied it at my desk at work without a mirror, you can't really go wrong. It's also really comfortable to wear.


So that's all my favourites this month. I'd love to know if you have tried anything in post or if you have any recommendations for me!

What have you been loving this month?

Lauren x

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Makeup Geek - My (Growing) Collection, Part One...

For months, I sat and swooned over Jaclyn Hill & Nikkie Tutorials makeup videos using Makeup Geek eyeshadows, wishing there was an easier (and import tax free!) way of getting them in my clutches... If I'd have been a bit cleverer, I could have done an order and had it shipped to my hotel when I visited America in November, why do we always have the brilliant light bulb moments when it's too late?!

It was a very happy day when I discovered that Beauty Bay were stocking the brand.

At first the stocks were very limited and I don't think they had realised just how much demand they would get for the brand, shades sold out SUPER quickly and the order took ages to process. To be fair to Beauty Bay, they have since given me £5 to spend on the site due to the delay, which I think is really good customer service. I have always had a brilliant service and delivery time from them in the past (and there's been a lot of orders!)

So onto the shades I have chosen, which, if you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen the various snaps of the collection has it's been growing...

So far, I have 5 of the foiled eyeshadows and 10 of the standard eyeshadows.

Makeup Geek describe the foiled shadows as; "With these rich and intensely-hued shades, the new Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows go beyond your standard line of cosmetics, introducing you to a new and powerful cosmetic experience.

This cutting-edge formula offers a creamy texture that is a hybrid between a powder shadow and a cream shadow that is on a level of its own.

The intense pigmentation combined with an opaque, metallic finish make these shadows a dream to work with. These can be applied effortlessly in just one swipe with no primer required! Our lineup includes a diverse array of rich colors and a smooth silky formula that we believe help elevate pressed eye shadows to the next level of exceptional quality."

I do completely agree with this, they are buttery, blend so well and look heavenly on the eyes, by far my favourite type of eyeshadow.

I've done swatches of each line of shadows so you can get an idea of them individually.

First up, Untamed & Desert Sands
Untamed is one of the foiled eyeshadows and is a bright coppery orange/golden shade and Desert Sands is a matte shadow in a camel brown shade with yellow undertones.

Now onto the dark, purple-ly shades we have Showtime (foil) Burlesque & Bitten.
Showtime is a rusty brown with warm undertones and a foil finish, Burlesque is a deep burgandy with a hint of bronze and Bitten is another matte finish shadow in a deep maroon shade.

Flamethrower (foil) Cocoa Bear & Americano
I think I can safely say that Flamethrower is my favourite of the bunch, it's a true, bright copper with a foiled finish, beautiful. Cocoa Bear is a warm, reddish brown and has a matte finish. Americano is a classic dark brown with a matte finish.

Magic Act (foil) Cosmopolitan, Brown Sugar.
Magic Act is beautiful inner corner highlight shade, a light, yellow toned gold. Cosmopolitan, a beautiful rose gold shade with gold flecks. Brown Sugar is a warm coppery toned brown with a shimmery finish.

Now onto the lighter shades, Grandstand (foil) Shimma Shimma, Beaches & Cream, Mirage.
Grandstand is a beautiful light rose gold shade with a foil finish, Shimma Shimma is a metallic champagne colour, another good one for inner corner / brow highlight. Beaches & Cream is fabulous as a transition shade at the outer corner of the eye, it's a creamy shade with a hint of peach and a matte finish. And last but certainly not least, Mirage - stunning as a brow highlight, it's a warm buttercream shade with a satin matte finish.

I store the eyeshadow pans in a large Z Palette. The normal pans are £4.95 each from Beauty Bay, the foiled shadows are a little more expensive at £7.95 each, but they are so worth it!

I hope this post has helped, if you're looking for some inspiration for new shades to add to your collection, or for someone just starting your Makeup Geek pallete.

I'd love to know if you have any shade recommendations for me too, there's a big space to fill in my Z palette!

Lauren x

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H&M Beauty

It was a good day when H&M announced they were releasing a beauty line, although it's taken me a little while to really get stuck in and order a selection of items.

I would prefer to go into the shop and swatch away until my hearts content, but the H&M store in my City doesn't carry the beauty line, so I had to go online to read reviews and look at swatches and then place an order online.

I went relatively steady to start with and ordered 3 eyeshadows and a blusher, I had already picked up another blusher ("Coral") on a recent trip to Manchester and was impressed with that one. I chose "Candied Almond", "Golden Light & "Orange Ochre" eyeshadows and "Brown Sugar" blusher.

I am really impressed with the quality of the eyeshadows, they are pigmented, have a silky texture and apply very easily. I'm really happy with all the choices I made.

I've noticed the blusher in "Brown Sugar" has been popular in the beauty blogging world, the shade is unlike anything I already have and I think this will be a great shade for Autumn.

Here come the swatches;

Left to Right; Golden Light, Orange Ochre, Candied Almond (eyeshadows) Brown Sugar (blusher)


Has anyone tried anything from the H&M beauty range? Any recommendations?

Lauren x

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