Estee Lauder Double Wear Eyeliner in Stay Violet

I was recently sent a sample of Estee Lauder double wear gel eyeliner in the shade Stay Violet. Stay Violet is a very deep violet shade which is slightly metallic but not so much that you can't wear it everyday or to work. I personally find it a great alternative to black which can look harsh on some skin tones.

The great thing about these gel liners is once they set they stay put no primer needed, I have very oily lids and I can vouch that it did indeed stay put for 12 hours and had no signs of fading (for testing reasons I put this on at 6am and removed it at 12am).

These gel liners are so so easy to use even an idiot like me can apply them and I will openly say I am the worst at applying eyeliner in the world but I found this one rather easy to line my hooded eyes (damn you gene pool). The formula is so soft and silky and a dream to apply, if like me you aren't great at the ol' application I strongly suggest using a small firm angled liner brush and steady your arm by leaning on a flat surface.

Like most people I want get the most out of my products, if a product can work hard then damn it I will make it! Estee Lauder double wear gel liners can be used on the waterline and as an eyeshadow or eyeshadow base. Now that's what I call hard working.

I will be buying the black and brown versions of this purely as the do what they claim (unlike a good few products) and I promise they are uber easy to use!

Double wear gel liners cost £15.50 and are available from www.esteelauder.co.uk and most department stores.

F.Y.I the above product was sent to me for review purposes, I received no compensation for my review and all opinions are completely my own and 100% honest.

I also apologise for the range of tones you have been seeing the swatches as of late, the tan skin is mine and the paler skin is my sisters, sometimes its easier to snap the photos on someones arm than my own. Hope this clears things up a little :)

A £4 Naked Palette Dupe with a Few MAC Dupes Too!!

Recently M.U.A released a pro range consisting of primers, palettes and so much more and the best bit is that its all £4 and under! However it has been pretty hard to obtain, in Glasgow no Superdrug seems to stock it regardless of what the face book page may state and certain items have sold out online twice! I was lucky enough to get the Heaven and Earth palette by ordering online via Superdrug.

The Heaven and Earth Palette is a neutral based palette containing twelve natural shades. All of the shades are frosty, metallic or glitter based there is no matte shades present in this palette but don't let that put you off.

I honestly can't believe how pigmented and easy to blend each of these shades are!I prejudged the palette and thought for £4 I'd be lucky to like one or two of the shades but no way Jose, I love each one of these shades.Okay its not the prettiest palette packaging wise but if you overlook that you have a little gem of a product on your hands! I can see this replacing my naked palette and becoming the product I use on a daily basis, it really is that good and I seldom gush about a drugstore product as you normally get what you pay for.

Speaking of the Naked Palette it is inevitable that everyone and their mother will say is it similar or is it a dupe?

Well yes and no. Yes some of the shades are from the same colour family and it is the same sort of idea but the naked palette does cover a wider range of neutrals. However pigmentation wise I'd have to hand it to the heaven and earth palette as I do find a few of the naked palette shades chalky.

Overall its not a dupe but it is a good alternative for those who didn't fancy spending big bucks on the naked palette or simply couldn't source it.

While playing around with the palette I also noticed that a few of the shades are decent dupes for MAC shades.

Okay some aren't exact doppelgangers as you can see but for £4 who's complaining?

This palette comes with the Adrienne Stamp of approval, if you come across it snap it up promptly as it could well be the best £4 you have spent on cosmetics in a long time!

Sleek Caribbean Collection

Officially this collection isn't released until the 6th of July but Superdrug seem to have leaked it a little sooner so it's well worth checking your local store just in case. Like most of the Sleek collections this again is Limited Edition and composes of a twelve pan eyeshadow palette, a blush and pout polish.

Lately I haven't been feeling the pigment of the Sleek eyeshadows most of the matte shades seem to be lacking that punch that they were renown for but I can say with a giant happy face that The Curacao Palette has stepped up its game.

Each shade (well the black aside its a tad chalky) is buttery smooth and has so much pigmented that one swipe is all that is needed to get a wonderful dose of colour. Now I get this palette won't be most girls everyday palette but it is perfect for injecting a little colour into your look. I especially love the greens along my lower eyelashes. I can happily recommend this palette and say that it has restored my faith in Sleek eyeshadows haha!

Now the pout polish is a different story! Doesn't it look fabulous in the pot? All sexy and neon orange (can you tell I love the shade orange? Sadly Bonaire Lip Polish swatches to what can only be described as a yellowy orange shade that is lack luster and uber unflattering on my lips.

I have quite pale almost brown lips so maybe it would look wonderful on those blessed with cherry red lips? I have found a use for it though, it works rather well over MAC Morange Lipstick and any other bright orange lip. That being said its not a stand out piece and I think most after swatching this will pass it up! I will quickly point out it has an Spf 15 and smells like baby powder.

The last piece of the collection is the super bright orange Aruba blush. Aruba is a bright matte orange blush, it is strongly pigmented and is in no way chalky. Yes in the pan Aruba is shocking in fact its quite scary looking but if applied with a light hand its really flattering and works wonders with blue eyes.

I will say this is best suited for medium to dark toned girls due to the intensity of the colour. Like the palette I highly recommend it and for me it is the stand out piece but I would say that being a blush fan and all!


Sleek is available in the U.K from Superdrug and worldwide it is available to buy directly from Sleeks website.

Will you be picking anything from this collection up?

Milani Luminoso Baked Powder Blush Review

I received this in my swap package from the lovely Make-Up is my medicine and haven't put it down since! Luminoso is a baked blush in a gorgeous yellowed peach shade, its super soft and highly pigmented which equates to winner if you ask me.

Luminoso like I said is a peach shade that leans on the yellow side rather than the pinker peaches we have been seeing of late. It has a light golden glisten to it thanks to the fine gold shimmer it contains, note how I said shimmer and not glitter. It has no chunky glitter in the mix so girls like me who don't have perfect pores need not fret as it doesn't highlight or settle into any pores.

The powder itself is super soft yet highly pigmented and it blends like a dream. As it is a fairly light shade I was a little worried that it may be chalky but I'm glad to report it is not chalky and nothing short of fabulous! It gives such a lovely summer glow with the perfect amount of colour that I honestly don't feel the need to highlight when wearing this, which has been everyday for the last week or so!

I have nothing like it in my make up collection shade wise anyways but it somehow reminds me of MAC Stereo Rose and Ripe Peach? I'd imagine if you like both of those products then you'd enjoy Milani Luminoso. U.K wise I don't know of any stockists other than www.CherryCulture.com but shipping may be pricey? I haven't used the site personally so I can't honestly comment.

Dubai Make Up Swap

Haven't I been the busy bee on the make-up swap front? Today's swap came from the lovely delyteful speaks please check out her blog because she honestly is such a lovely person and great blogger! My didn't she spoil me? I nearly had a heart attack when I opened the box this morning, for a beauty junkie it really was like Christmas had come early haha!

 One is a bath and shower gel and the other is a body cream both smell just divine and look at how dinky and cute that little bag is.

I'm going to bust both these open tonight and have a relaxing night in front of the TV. I've heard great things about the face shop and I love the scent of Papaya so the mask looks more than promising! I will use the foot cream and report back in a week or two.

I've been meaning to buy something like this for the longest time so I was so pleased to see it in my swap package. I'm now the big bad 24 and like most women my age I'm worried about aging I swear I can see wrinkles though everyone else thinks I'm loosing my marbles when I mention it. Hopefully this will stop me needing polyfilla in the years to come. I've tested this and its such a light serum and has a lovely scent but again I'll have to test it out over a few weeks and give my verdict then.

The bottle is just gorgeous and will look fabulous on my dresser and the scent is just as equally gorgeous such a light summer fragrance.

Isn't Revlon cherries in the snow the perfect red. I'm thinking a little white dress, wavy hair and some gladiators with this on my lips. How would you wear it?

 I'm not going to say anything more than 'Ahhh Inglot goodies!!!!!'. A full review to follow.

This is love, when I opened the little black box and saw Bobbi Brown pout rouge in powder pink I knew it would be a love affair not a fling but a full on affair! I mean how often do you find a duo shade that suits both your cheeks and lips? Never is the answer most only tend to suit one or the other but not this little gem, it really is a pretty shade and really suits my colouring. Ahh I really do love it!

A bronzer and blush in one! I like to think this is the sort of product Jennifer Aniston herself would buy, Cargo Echo Beach has Cali beach babe written all over it doesnt it?

Thank you again delyteful speaks I really enjoyed our swap :)