April 2013 Favourites

Hey guys! Sorry I'm a day late with this post, but better late than never right? We've reached the end of another month, which means it's time for a Favourites post! I have a bunch of things that I'd like to share with you so let's get started!

Super duper cute polka-dot boots from Target

I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret....I can't remember the last time I owned a pair of rain boots. I can be so stubborn when it comes to how my boots look, that I usually end up not buying any and coming home with soaking wet feet. But one day I was in Target and came across these amaaaazing polka-dotted boots and I knew I had to have them! They're super water proof and are great to have at this time of the year because of all the rain that spring brings. I forget how much they were but I do remember they were affordable!

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Eyeshadow in Edgy Emerald

I'd like to apologize about the lack of colour that is showing up right now...I'm still trying to find a good spot in my house for taking pictures. But anyways, this cream eyeshadow is a must have for the season because of it's vibrant emerald colour! I am obsessed with pastel colours right now and I love to use this shadow as a liner some days when I feel like being colourful. It adds a burst of colour to your eyes and can make such a playful look! Definitely check these shadows out!

Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist

Alright, get ready for some lip products. I absolutely love pink, peach, and coral lipsticks for the spring time and this gloss balm has now become a Holy Grail product for me. I always see this shade (Watermelon Twist) advertised in Seventeen magazine (my favourite), and I saw missglamorazzi wearing it one of her videos and I just had to have it! It is probably my favourite pink lipstick at the moment, and since it's a balm it never dries out my lips! I highly recommend you guys check it out!

Mark Glossworks Lip Gloss in Tempest

....aaaand here's another one of my favourite pink lip glosses! I did a review on these lip glosses, which you can view HERE, so I won't go in too much about this product. But what I will say is that it is the hottest pink lip gloss that I own and is so glossy! My favourite thing about it is that it isn't sticky at all!

L'oréal Paris Lipstick in British Red

So the next two lipsticks are red lipsticks, which I typically wear in the autumn and winter time. Though I don't wear these products as much as the others, I still wanted to tell you all about how amazing they are! This first one in my opinion is the perfect red lipstick for me. It goes really well with my skin tone (fair-medium) and isn't too shimmery, which is what I like! Also, I find that the L'oréal lipsticks smell really good...

Avon Colour Precise Lipstick in Really Red

...and this next one...well, actually...I don't think I should write much about it...you'll have to wait until my next Avon Reviews post to know about it ;)  

Bath & Body Works Perfume in Paris Amour

 

Finally, this last favourite product of mine is this fantabulous spray from the one and only Bath & Body Works! According to the website description, this fragrance mist is "a dreamy blend of French tulips, apple blossoms and sparkling pink champagne, inspired by a romantic stroll through the streets of Paris". How does that not sound good?!?! 

This brings us to the end of another Favourites post! Before you know it, it will be the end of May and I'll be writing up another one!

xx Mandy 

Avon Reviews Galore!

Hey everyone! I want to apologize for my absence- I've had rugby, school, my family, friends [and boyfriend] to think about and spend time with! But don't worry because I am back and boy do I have some reviews for you!

I have so many great products to write about, and they are all from Avon! You know I don't really like a long introduction, so let's cut to the chase.

ANEW Clarifying Hand Cream

 This hand cream is meant to make dark spots on your hands fade away with daily use of it. Though I am only 16 years old and do not have dark spots anywhere, I think it's safe to say that this is my favourite moisturizer! It hydrates your skin and has a barely-there fragrance to it. It leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth, and young! You can purchase this hand cream from Avon for only $14.99!

From the Mark Collection...
Marrakesh Instant Vacation Eau de Toitlette Spray

 Oh my gosh you guys, this is a must-have for the summer! It is the warmest, most amazing thing I have ever smelled before. It is "an exotic blend of lavish Moroccan jasmine, neroli blossoms, spicy cardamom, wild fig and crushed mint". Tell me that doesn't sound amazing?! What I love about this perfume is that it doesn't have an over powering smell to it. When I smell it, I immediately think about summer time and the warmth of the sun....sigh, how I miss summer...Anywhooo, you can purchase this for the affordable price of $26! Also, check out their other stuff from their new Marrakesh theme! (Some stuff is down below)
Nailed It (trend mini nail lacquers)

First of all, I'd like to apologize because I do not have any swatches of the nail polishes that are featured in this post. I really need to catch up on my reviews so I don't have time to paint my nails, let them dry, take pictures, and upload them. Anyways, these are probably the most metallic nail polishes that I own at the moment! The Saffron (right) is beaaaaautiful and I recently wore it with pink nail polish for my semi-formal! These polishes don't chip very easily so they are guarenteed to last a while! These two polishes come together as a set for only $8! 
Exotic Beauty (face mosaics)

I have never been one to wear powders, blushes, or bronzers. I think it has to do with the fact that I usually put waaaaay too much on and I either look like a peach or an orange. But receiving this powder made me excited to start practicing my skills with it! My thoughts on this powder is that it is very shimmery, but not in a bad way. It doesn't make you look like Edward Cullen when you're in the light, but it does add a subtle sparkle. It also lasts all day, which is a plus! This face mosaic is $16. Down below is a swatch:

 Exotic Hues (eye shadow trio)

These are probably the most pigmented eyeshadows that I have found from Avon so far! I am head-over-heels in love with these colours! They were "inspired by the vibrant spices found in the city's souks". These shadows are also baked for long-lasting wear! I highly recommend you guys check them out, and purchase them for the price of $12! Enjoy a swatch down below:

 Glossworks Lip Gloss

Guys....Guys....These lipsticks are...Too amazing for words...Oh my goodness. They are so flippin' pigmented and glossy that I want to just purchase each colour...Three times. They really remind me of the Lip Glazes from Stila, only more pigmented and less shimmery. I love how the colours make my lips pop all day long! As a bonus, they are summer-perfect because they have an SPF of 15! Down below is a swatch of the colours (left to right) Roseland, Tempest, and Tropica:

Celestial Summer 2013 Colour Collection *available June 2013
Cosmic Nail Enamels  

Left to Right: Saturn, Aurora, Galaxy, Starlight, Starburst

Avon was generous enough to send me their new collection for the summer, which is the Celestial Colour Collection. The name gives you a clue that there will be a lot of shimmery cosmetics in this collection! I absolutely love the nail polishes that Avon has because they are long-lasting and are always bold colours! I think my favourite colours are Galaxy (because any shade of blue is gorgeous) and Aurora. These nail polishes will be available for $6 each!
Cosmic Eye Shadows

 

Right when I saw these I couldn't help but admire the swirls and how gorgeous these shadows are! They are baked and have a long life on your lids....did I mention they were really pretty? Definitely the coolest looking shadows I have! I have found different eye shadows that are more pigmented than these, but these shadows still show up very well! Once the collection comes out I will for sure buy the rest of the colours! The ones that you see in the swatch below (left to right) are Purple Haze, Midnight Sky, Jaded Moon, Cosmic Brown:

Glimmersticks Eye Liners

I have been eyeing the Glimmersticks in the Avon catalogue for a while now and I was so happy when they sent me these! I've purchased some of their older glimmersticks in the past, and they are some of the creamiest eye liners I've come across! I will admit, sometimes they do break easily, but not enough to make me not want to buy them again. These pigmented eye liners are a must-have, and are great at completing night-time looks! Each Glimmerstick will be available for $7. The colours you see down below (top to bottom) are Starlight Blue, Blackened Night, Galactic Green, and Purple Haze:

Wow that was long........

I'll be back with more Avon reviews next week! (and other posts, of course)

xx Mandy

Understanding Makeup Part One: Eyes

Earlier, I decided I was going to do an Understanding Makeup section of the blog, made up of three different posts: Eyes, Lips, and Face. For each post, I will talk about what kind of makeup you can use for the certain area, give descriptions of some of the products, the tools used, and some different looks that you might be interested in.

Eyes
Honestly, any kind of eye makeup is my favourite makeup. I love playing up my baby blues and trying out different styles and colours to make them pop [more].

Eye Shadows   
So many colours, so little time- right? I get extremely overwhelmed when I try to decide what colour I should use that day. Do I want to go blue? Maybe bright green? Ugh, this shouldn't be so hard.

Eye shadow is applied all over the eye lid, the crease, and right under the brow. It adds shape, depth, dimmension, and can sometimes create illusions to make your eyes appear a different way than they are. It can come in many different forms, which are the following:

• Sheer- a very faint shadow, comes in pressed form
• Matte- solid colour eye shadow
• Powder- comes in pressed form and is the most common type of eye shadow used
• Liquid- applied with a sponge or brush specifically made for this shadow; comes in matte or shimmer
• Shimmer- has a sparkle or metallic tint to the colour
• Pigment/Loose Powder- applied the same way as powder shadow, but is not pressed
• Baked- pressed; marbleized and baked in an oven; can be used dry or wet
• Cream- creamier than powder; can be shimmery or matte; commonly used as a base on the lid 
• Pencils- cream eye shadow in a pencil form

Pigment/ Loose Eye Shadow

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

Eyeliners
Oh, the eyeliner. So bold and so much fun to use. I prefer liner over shadow because it finishes everything off and can make such dramatic looks. But, you can use an eye shadow as a liner, using a liner brush (see Eye Brushes below).

• Liquid- hardest to use; best to buy in pen form because you have more control over them
• Pencil- great for lining your water lines; make sure you have a sharpener for these
• Gel/Cream- a good creamy eye liner is very bold and shows well

 
Eye Brushes
There are so many different eye brushes that you can use when it comes to applying eye shadow.

Liner 

Applies a thin line of colour on the lid and defines the eye; apply right above/on the lashline

 

All Over 

Great for any area of the eye and most types of eye shadow

 

Smudge

Blends colours and expand smudge lines   

 

Crease

Adds colour to the crease; great for smokey eyes

These are just a few of the many brushes used for eye makeup.

Trends

Next time you want to switch up your look, try out these trends!

  Cat's Eye

Often seen on actress Angelina Jolie. While applying eye liner (opt for liquid or gel) on your upper lash line, sweep it out right to where your crease stops (or go farther for a more dramatic look).

Winged Eyeliner

Very similar to the Cat's Eye look, but when you sweep your liner out, bring it up to make a wing. My personal favourite, aswell.

Smokey Eyes

Probably the most popular look of all, not to mention simple. Though it is hard to describe in writing, there are many tutorials on youtube, and it's likely that I will be uploading my own tutorial at some point :) 

Wow, that was a long post. I hope this gives you a bit of an idea of how to use eye makeup. Tomorrow, I will write about how to use lipsticks and how to get that perfect red lipstick look that is in right now. 

xx Mandy

 

Eye Shadow Types:
http://www.examiner.com/article/what-are-the-different-types-of-eyeshadow-eyeshadow-101

All Eye Brushes are from Sephora:
http://www.sephora.com/