January Favourites

Pro-Prime by Nars

My first favourite of this month is the Pro Prime from Nars. I bought this when I was shopping in the summer at Selfridges even though I was not intending to buy any type of primer. I went in for foundation but also came out with this. The great part about this primer is that it is oil free, yet still moisturizes your face ready for foundation. I blend it in with my foundation brush and let the air get to it so it isn't too moist when I apply my foundation. I think it’s important your face has a healthy moisture to it during the day, so this product is perfect as it is keeping my face feeling fresh as well as keeping my foundation in place. 

Studio Sculpt Foundation by MAC

This next product is an old one that has made its way back into my life. When in New York last winter I bought my self a tube of the Studio Sculpt foundation by MAC because I had heard many good things about it. When it came to summer I stopped using it though, because it’s quite an oily foundation, so if your skin is already very moist it’s a bad idea. I moved on to the amazing Nars Sheer Matte Foundation, however my face started to feel quite dry when the months got colder so I gave this a go again just last month and it’s been great! I think it’s definitely a winter foundation because it’s got moisture which your face needs during dry and cold months.  

Mineralize Skinfinsh by MAC

The first MAC product that has been working with me this month is the (name of product). I received it as a Christmas present from my mum and I have not stopped using it since! When I apply the product I use a little at a time lightly and carefully because it is highly pigmented. It has an ever so slight natural shimmer look to it, which gives a healthy glow look to your face. There is a lot of product so I’m sure it’ll last me a long time! To apply it I use the product below!

Angle Brush 168 by MAC

With the MAC ------- my mum also gave me this MAC angle brush in the number 168. Before I didn’t have a good enough brush to contour my face, so this was a much appreciated Christmas gift! It works very well, and the quality of the brush is wonderful.  When applying powder to your face, hairs never fall out of the brush, which can be very annoying. I find a brush does effect the application of your make up and the results it gives, so a good quality brush is always great. The way it angles allows you too apply your powder easily, placing more powder in one area and less in another.

Stippling Brush by Real Techniques

The next brush that has made it to the hit list this month is the Stippling Brush by Real Techniques. Over the past few months I have been hearing positive reviews both by beauty YouTuber's and blogger's so I thought I would give it a go for myself. My previous foundation brush made my face look like a painting so I thought it was time to try something new. I bought it for £11 in boots December just gone, and I have not stopped using it ever since! I have to say it is one of the best beauty products I have ever bought. The mixture of long white and short black hair, it spreads your foundation evenly leaving a very blended and natural outcome. I recommend this brush to anyone who is not happy with the application of their make up!

Beauty Blender by Cosmopolitan

The last make up applier I have been loving this month is the Beauty Blender by Cosmopolitan. It’s a cheaper version of the real Beauty Blender which is about three times as much money, so I thought £6 was more than enough to spend! I use this to blend my concealer under my eyes and any red areas on my face. By dabbing lightly it blends unlike any other make up sponge, because it's a lot harder. After I've applied my foundation and still feel it isn't completely blended to my satisfaction, I use the fatter end of the Blender to sort it out. I have been using this since I bought it in the summer of 2012 and am still loving it!

Smokey Eye Palette by Benefit

The first eye beauty product that I have been using a lot this month is the Smokey Eye Palette by Benefit. I got this over a year ago and since then I have been using it, but not for the purpose it was made for! I don’t use it create smokey eyes but use the eye brow filler instead to fill my eyebrows. The creamy and pigmented texture works well because it defines my eyebrows as well as keeping them a shape a like. I haven't really used any other method to fill my eyebrows so if any off you have any good product I should try just comment below!

Eye Liner Pen by Catrice

This is my most recent product that I have purchased. I bought it just a week ago so it might be wrong to call it a favourite of a month but I thought it deserved a place. I have been looking for an eye liner for what feels like forever that creates a winged effect without smudging. My liquid eye liner from Body Shop has let me down as it takes mere hours before it decides to smudge away and all kohl pencils I use do the same. I saw this eye liner pen and tried it on my hand in the shop and loved the application. After a minute I rubbed it quite hard to see if it would smudge and it didn't! It cost me €4 (around £3.50) so I gave it ago and have been loving it ever since!

Matte Finish Nail Varnish by Rimmel London

My last favourite product of the month is the Matte Finish Nail Varnish by Rimmel London. A few months ago I tried a pot my friend bought and was blown away by the fact nail varnish could be matte, so when I came across it in Boots in December for £4 I couldn’t say no! It’s terrible as a top coat and chips within a day, so instead of giving up on it I first apply a top coat on the my colour nail varnish and then apply the Matte Finish. I am wearing a pastel purple colour with the Matte effect on as I type this blog post and it has stayed on for three days. The bottle days up to ten days, but I suspect it’ll come of within the next few days. 

Thank you for reading this blog post on this January’s favourites! I hope you enjoyed it and if you prefer to listen me than read, there is a video on my YouTube channel, monicaaliceeShow, so be sure to check it out! See you all soon xoxo

 

The Fashtag Launch Party!

Hey everyone! Last week Friday I came back from a wonderful art trip to the beautiful city of London! I have had problems with my internet so I have not been able to upload anything to my blog, but now that it is better I am uploading something that I really want to share. 

On the 22nd of November, I was invited to the Fashtag Launch Party, in Carnaby street, and what an experience it was! Having a fairly underground YouTube channel and Blog, it was great to get out there and meet many big names in the fashion blogging world. I was lucky enough to me Lexi from sototallyvlog and BeautybyJJ. As I am a huge fan of Lexi, it was amazing to meet her in person. From afar I saw Made In Chelsea's Rosie Fortescue and Shingai Shoniwa from the Noisettes. It was amazing to meet everyone in personal actually  Lots of famous faces that you never thought you would see in flesh are with you in the same room is very overwhelming. 

I was there for just over an hour and half, and in that time I got my make up done by a lovely lady who is make up artist for the Illamasqua makeup brand. She created an amazing smokey eye on me that looked fantastic. Whenever I do it myself, it always looks a little messy, but with her it looked fab! Once my make up was done, I had a little photo shoot. This was really fun! Afterwards I was interviewed by Goldyrocks for a while which was a lovely experience. A small part of the interview has been put into their official launch video which I am really chuffed about! Be sure to check out the video down below! 

I had a limited amount of time, so I am very grateful for being able to have attended to launch! Thanks Fashtag for letting me come down! I can not wait to see what happens to the channel!

Tutorial • Winged Eyeliner Effect

To start creating the winged effect, start by taking an eyeliner pencil and lightly sketching out the shape you wish to have. The shape you want to create is depends on your face shape and how you are feeling. Always follow the shape of your eye and the directions your eyelid is. Also, you might want it to be thicker and further out one day, and thinner the next. It is always best to start of with this light outline, because it acts as a guidline and can also be adjusted a lot easier than a liquid eyeliner. 

Another tip is focus on something else for a minute or so and come back to the mirror later. By taking a break you will be able to see if each eye looks exactly the same. Now that you have an outline that looks symmetrical, it is time to use the liquid eyeliner. Most liquid eyeliners come with a brush provided, usually on the lid of the bottle, however it is much better if you use an actual eyeliner brush. By using this, creating the shape you want is a lot easier. Start thin in the middle of you eyelid and gradually go fatter towards the outer eyelid. Once you have the first line, you can decide whether you want it to be thicker or not. Gradually fill in shape thicker and thicker making sure you go as close to the eyelashes as possible. 

Once you have finished, do not move your head by looking up or down. Stay as still as possible for at least 15 seconds to make sure the eyeliner drys and does not smudge. Again, step away from the mirror and come back a few minutes later too see if the eyeliner looks symmetrical. Voila! You are finished! The more you create this look, the better you will get at it. Lots of love xoxo

Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer • Review

£21 - Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer

Having trouble with my foundation, finding the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation that I recently did a review, (click here if you are interested) was a life saver. The same day I got the foundation, I picked up the Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer. The reason I came across it was because the lady at the Nars counter heard that my recent foundation made my face quite oily, so she suggested using this. 

The Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer works by slowly circling a moderate amount all over your face before you put on your foundation. It works as a primer but also to shrink the pores. This means less dirt enters your pores and therefore (hopefully) less pimples and outbreaks. As there is no oil, it reduces the amount of oil that is produced on your face over the day, because many product have unneeded extra oil that we don't want! This is great for me because the last foundation I used made my face feel very oily. I've found out that it's better to put it on and wait five minutes so the cream can dry and has worked it's magic! This means it does not interfere with the foundation aplication as well. 

After using this product for a few weeks now, I do notice a difference. I also have a new foundation, so that could also have something to do with it. My face does feel a lot less oily when it has foundation on, and a lot less irritating. I don't feel the need to constantly see if I look okay and don't feel like I look moist. I do think it's a good product and glad I was recommended it! I hope this post was helpful to those in the same situation and need a product like this! Lots of love xoxo

Nars Sheer Matte Foundation • Review

 Nars Sheer Matte Foundation - £40

I for one have a little difficulty finding the right foundation for my face, because of many factors. If it makes my skin feel oily I both feel and notice that my skin looks slightly moist which of course something nobody wants. Also, if I don't get the right colour I end getting the classic oompa loompa face because I get a shade too dark. This is why I am very happy that I purchased the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation!

A couple of weeks ago my mum and I went to Selfridges in London for a girly evening. We weren't there for anything in particular, but just to look around and see what they had. Once we got into the make up section I instantly went to the Nars stand because I had heard a lot about their foundation and really wanted one that worked for me. The lady at the stand matched me up with the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation. As she put it on I noticed that it felt very light on the skin almost like I didn't have any on at all. She taught me that the great thing about the Nars foundation is that you can layer it with out it feeling or looking thick. For blemishes or more red areas you can layer a little more if needed. After she had finished I really did feel a vast improvement from my last foundation and that the layering and colour looked very natural and light. My bought it for me with some other products for her self so we were very happy with that evening. 

After using the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation for a good amount of time now, I do see a difference from my other foundation. The last foundation I used was the Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation by Mac. This foundation is good, however I did notice after a while that it did have that irritating oily sensation and look about it so I definitely was interested in finding a new one. Another thing was that I could feel it whenever I touched my face and that it came off if I did so. This new foundation however really doesn't feel like it is there so it does irritate me at all. I recommend you go out and see if you like this product but be sure to try it at a parlor before buying it because it is a little pricey if it is not what you are looking for! Lots of love xoxo

Do you have trouble finding the right foundation?

♥

MUA Eyeshadow Palette • Review

 One of my most recent cosmetic purchases was the "Eyeshadow Palette, Heaven and Earth", by Makeup Academy Professional. The reason I was so keen to pick up this eyeshadow palette, was because after watching vlogger on YouTube reviewed it and showed the audience exactly what it can do, I was very eager to buy it. Not living in the United Kingdom, it was impossible to find a "Superdrug" shop anywhere, so when I visited London last week, I made sure I paid a visit. 

The palette consist of 12 natural shades of beige and brown. It offers a god selection of different colours so you are able to create many looks, including the smokey eye effect and the natural look. The quality of the palette is amazing, considering the price, £2.99, which to me is extremely reasonable for the amount of colours you get. The eyeshadow's blend really nicely and smoothly on your eyelid, unlike some when you try and blend two colours into each other, you can create a huge mess of different colours. From what I have experienced, the eye shadow stays on for a decent amount of time, however it depends on the weather and what you are doing. If the weather is warm, the heat makes the product rub of very quickly and leaves a horrible smudgy look, however when it is cool this does not happen. Also, if you touch you face a lot, or rub your eyes because of an itch or even an uncomfortable contact lens, this can also mess up the look. If the product is left alone, and it is not too warm, it works very well. I never use the brush that is provided because I find that it irritates my skin. Instead I use an eyeshadow brush, because it is a lot smoother on the skin, and help blending different shades together. 

That is all for the MUA Eyeshadow Palette, and I hope this little review was or much use, and if not, that you enjoyed reading it! Hope you have a nice day, xoxo. 

Valentines Day - Make Up

I have decided to do a tutorial on what I would wear on valentines day. The whole tutorial on on my YouTube Channel "monicaaliceeShow", so have a look at that! Here are some pictures of the outcome, and some brief steps on how I got the look! 

 Step 1 - Foundation:

I first put a layer of foundation on, making sure it was not too thick, otherwise it would not be very natural. I used a foundation brush to do this. The foundation I used was "Studio Sculp" by MAC, which works very well for me.

Step 2 - Concealing: 

Once you are happy with you foundation, get some thick concealer for you under eye circles. I used the darkest cream from the "Realness of Concealness" kit by Benefit. I gently dabbed it around my eyes and used the foundation brush to blend it in afterwards. 

Step 3 - Eye Brows:

Next it is the eye brows. If you are not happy with your eye brows and want them to be a little darker and more defined, take the "Smokey Eye" pallet by Benefit. If you do not have this, any other eyebrow filler that you are happy with will also do! If you do however, use the darkest shadow, with the brow brush that is given to blend it it. I usually take an old mascara brush to tidy up the eyebrow when I am finished.

Step 4 - Brow Bone:

Again, using the "Smokey Eye" palette by Benefit, take the light pink cream and dab over your brow bone. This will bring out you bone, and make your face look more defined. If you do not have the palette, any other brow bone cream will do!

Step 5 - Eye Shadow:

After that, you need to take a very nude light eye shadow, and make sure it is quite thick. Using a eye shadow brush to spread over your eye lid.

Step 6 - Glitter Pencil:

Take the Topshop eye pencil, and gently go over the eye shadow. Put as much on as you want, because it is your choice how much glitter you want on your eyes. Use the eye shadow brush again to blend it all in. 

Step 7 - Mascara:

For this step I use two different mascaras. The first one is "Bad Gal Lash" by Benefit, which is the first one I apply. Make sure it is quite thick, but do not worry if your eyelashes get clumpy. Then I take my second mascara "False Lash Effect" by Max Factor. I quickly go over my first layer while my lashes are still wet, so I can remove all the clumps. I do exactly the same with my lower lashes.

Step 8 - Bronzer:

Using a powder brush, I take my bronzer, and again any bronzer is fine, and define my face. Make sure you apply the bronzer under you cheek bone, so it makes you face look more defined.

Step 9 - Blush:

After you are happy with your bronze, take you pinkest blush you have. I am using "Pinch O' Peach" by MAC. Lightly apply the blush, using a blush brush, making sure not to put on too much, you do not want to look like a barbie! 

Step 10 - Lipstick:

Once everything else is finished, it is time for your lipstick. Again, take a pink colour. I am using "Please Me" by MAC, which is a light shade of pink. Put it on straight from the stick, but make sure you do not go outside your lip line. If you are not happy with the shape, take a lip shaping brush and tidy it up. 

Step 11 - Lip Gloss: 

If you want your lips to look more shinny, take a pink lipgloss. Make sure the quality is quite thick, otherwise it will wash of the lipstick. I am using a Clinique lip gloss, which I got when I bought an issue of Glamour. Try not to put not much on, just enough to give your lips a nice shinny look! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynoyUYC7XOc&list=UU2QNvRPMGoBzF1BzWrBZ4Bw&index=1&feature=plcp

My Favourite Lipsticks

Here is a little blog post on my favourite lipsticks! I am starting with my two MAC lipsticks, then my Belavance, and last but definitely not least, my Topshop. I have filmed a video of this review on my YouTube channel "monicaaliceeShow''. The link to my channel is on the side bar, on the right, so take a look and see what you think! Subscribe and follow if you enjoy reading and watching!

PLEASE ME, MAC:

I had wanted this lipstick for a very long time, and was lucky enough to get it for Christmas from my mum! We were at the airport on the way to the U.K, and we bumped into the MAC stand. We had a little look round and I found this colour. My mum found one she liked, so we got each other it for Christmas! I love MAC and think the quality is really good. However, I do not wear MAC when my lips are dry and chipped because it makes my lips look even more unhealthy. This usually happens when I am poorly or in the winter, but apart from that I think it is a very good lipstick. I am not to sure how much it was because it was a present, but I think it was around €15/£13. 

BLANKETY, MAC:

I got this lipstick from a friend of mine, and I am very happy she got it for me. Like my other MAC, it is very good quality and recommend it to everyone, except when you have dry lips! I use it as my everyday lipstick, because it is rather plain and nude, and I do not like to wear very bright lipstick to school. It taste and smells really nice, and so does my other MAC, which is always a good thing! It was a present so I have no clue how much it was, but again I think it is around €15/£13. 

RED, BELAVANCE:

This is my oldest lipstick, but one of my favourites. Every girl needs her red lipstick, and this is mine. It was VERY red and can be hard to apply without it going wrong, so I use a small lipstick brush to apply it. If I do not, it will smudge and go everywhere! I have forgotten how much it was because it was such a long time ago. I wear this when I go out, because it is a very bright colour. It is quite good quality, my if you drink a lot is smudges, so it is a good idea to lightly apply a lipstick protector on top to keep it nice.

BRIGHTON ROCK, TOPSHOP MAKE-UP:

This is my dark pink colour, and I am so happy with it! The quality is not as good as some lipstick, as it smudges off after a while, but for a few hours it is fine. It is not that big of a problem because you can just reapply it later on. I wear this when I go out because it very bright. I really love this colour because it is so happy! I have seen similar colours from different makes, but of them really look like this, because it quite neon. Again, I use a lipstick brush to apply it because it is dark and then I will not smudge it everywhere! It cost me £9, in the 2011 summer. 

DESSERT, TOPSHOP MAKE-UP:

This used to be my everyday lipstick, until I saw that Topshop had stop selling it! I only use it when I think it will really look good with the outfit, because I am scared that it will run out soon! Again, the quality means you need to apply it every few hours, but I really do not mind because the colour is beautiful. It is a very nude colour, which has a tint of orange which makes it look like a tan. It is my favourite of them all and hope it never finishes! It cost me £9 in the 2011 summer. Both my Topshop lipsticks smell and taste really nice! I think it smells a little like lavender, but I am not too sure, all I know is that it is nice!

New York, Shopping Haul

When I went to New York with my dad over the Christmas holiday, I did what every girl should do when she goes to New York. Shopping! Here is a bit about what I bought and what I think about it. I also reviewed it on my YouTube channel, so you should go and check it out! Enjoy!

 STUDIO SCULPT FOUNDATION:

When I went to MAC, I knew I wanted foundation, but was not too sure what my colour was or how much coverage I should get. I decided to ask the woman working there to help me. She tried all the tones she thought was my colour and we settled on a colour that was slightly lighter than the foundation above. Before I bought however, she stopped me and tried a tint darker, because she realised that my neck was slightly darker than my face. This foundation therefore makes my face and neck the same colour. She also recommended light coverage because I am not very old. It feels a little bit like moisturiser to begin with, but after five minutes it dries and does not feel bad at all. Overall, I am really happy with this purchase! It cost me, $29 which I thought was quite a lot, but I had porfessional advice, so it was worth it. 

BLUSH, PINCH O' PEACH:

The last item I bought at MAC, was this beautiful pink blush. I knew I wanted a pink blush, but not sure what shade would look the best. I asked the same lady who helped me with the foundation, and tried all the different pink shades they had. In the end, we settled on 'Pinch O' Peach'. We bother thought it looked the best, which I was really happy about. I wear it on the weekends and when I go out, because if I use it everyday it would not be as special any more. It stays on my face for a good few hours, and does not feel itchy like some foundation do to me. It cost me around about, $15. I am not certain however, so if you are interested, pop over to your local MAC shop or look on their website!

JUMPER:

This jumper is officially one of my favourite clothing items! I love it! It is a perfect length, just on the hip, and it is warm and comfy. It has a gorgeous knitted pattern all over it, which makes it really cosy and happy. It is perfect for winter, however when outside a jacket is needed to keep warm. Indoors however, it keeps me warm. I love the Abercrombie moose logo at the bottom, it is definitely my favourite feature. The only down side is, if I wear a black tank top underneath, in certain light you can see it a little bit. This means it is best to wear a light coloured tank top underneath it. The sleeves are very long so I usually roll them up when I am doing something practical, but when I want to be all warm and snugly, I leave them down. It cost me, $68, which I was not to fussed about, because I love it and it was Abercrombie and Fitch. 

 FUR HOODIE:

I did not actually buy this in New York, but I am going to classify it as a New York purchase. I went to Abercrombie and Fitch shop and saw it there, but it was $120, which was a ridiculous amount of money for a hoodie! I really loved it though so it was a shame to say no and let it go (my rhyming skills!). Anyway, I decided I was going to buy it because I liked it so much, but when I went to another Abercrombie and Fitch shop, they did not have it. In the end I left New York without it, sad face. When I got back to England, I looked on-line and saw they had the same hoodie, on sale, in my size, the right colour and in stock. It was meant to be! My mum ordered it for me so it was just like I got it in New York. It fits really nicely, and the woollen knit inside makes it very warm and great for the winter. I think the Abercrombie logo looks really sweet with the moose. The reason I love it so much though, is because of the fur. I really love fur right now, so this is just perfect!

 SUPER SKINNY FIT, JEGGINGS:

When I first saw these jeggings, I fell in love with the light blue colour! I thought it looked absolutely gorgeous. I had been looking for a yummy blue for a long time and wherever I saw a pair, they did not fit right and were not very comfy. These however, are extremely comfy because they are very thin denim and stretch a fair bit. This makes moving around very easy unlike some jeans when they are so tight you feel your legs being squished! I love the gold stitching and the Abercrombie and Fitch logo at the back, the colour contrast really well together. They cost me $68, which was quite a lot, but a good pair of trousers are never going to be cheap!

SUPER SKINNY JEANS:

This pair of jeans where the last pair of trousers I bought, and also the last piece of clothing I bought in Abercrombie and Fitch. I was not too sure If I was going to buy them though because I had already got the jeggings. Jeans are different to jeggings so I thought why not! I love the deep and dark blue with the golden stitching all over it (also light blue, jeggings above). I think gold contrasts really well with the blue, and as you all know, if you watch my YouTube videos, I love gold at the moment! They are very comfy and are great for moving around and doing everyday activities, like school. They cost me $78, which was $10 dollars more than the jeggings. This is because they are jeans, so it makes sense!

MARC JACOBS, PENCIL:
While my dad and I were wandering through Soho, we saw this very sweet little book shop called Bookmarc. I though I recognised the name but was not to sure how I could have done because I was in New York! We went in and saw that everything was labelled Marc Jacobs. I looked at the shop's name again and saw bookmark was spelt with a 'c' instead of a 'k', like  Marc. I had a good old potter around and saw very lovely things, but it was a lot of money. In the end I did not get anything. When we got back to the hotel my dad said he bough me something and it was this very cute Marc Jacobs pencil! I therefore, have my very own designer pencil! Life is full of funny surprises! I am not going to use, but just keep it as a souvenir. 

TIGER WINTER HAT / SCARF / GLOVES:
In New York, lots and lots of people had these adorable hats, so my dad got me one from this tourist stand. I thought it was really cute, because I love tigers. The scarf part is also a pair of gloves, which means this hat has a hat, scarf and gloves. Talking about, all in one! It is a bit of fun really, so the quality is not amazing. That does not matter though, because it keep me very warm, and kept me warm when it was -7 degrees in New York, so it serves its purpose very well! I love it very much and it reminds me of New York City.


Here is my video haul of everything I just blogged about here.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOTQqQLkVMc&list=UU2QNvRPMGoBzF1BzWrBZ4Bw&index=1&feature=plcp