Top 3 | Highlighters Feat. Benefit, MAC & Sleek

1. Benefit Watt's Up! - £24.50

2. MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Lightscapade - £22

3. 3. Sleek Face Contouring Kit in 'Light' - £6.49

I love highlighters. I love how they can make you look like you just have that 'inner glow' and how they make you look fresh and radiant. I have three favourite highlighters each best for different purposes. I thought I'd share them with you to see if you can discover some new favourites. It was incredibly hard to swatch these, especially the MAC one as it's quite similar to my skintone. Hopefully you can see them well enough.

1. Benefit Watt's Up! - £24.50
I have already got a more in depth review of this here. I love this highlighter, especially in the summer. The champagne colour helps add a golden glow to the cheeks and looks great paired with bronzer. It has the best colour pay off of any highlighter I've used and the shimmer is gorgeous. It is more noticeable on the skin than some highlighters, but that's why I like it so much. It's a cream to powder formula, so easy to blend into the skin for a flawless application.

2. MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in 'Lightscapade' -£22
I don't think there's much that needs to be said about this one. Mac's Mineralise Skinfinishes are very well known. I only own one of them, in Lightscapade, which is described as a 'soft candelight beige'. On me it's quite similar to my skin colour so really blends into my skin and makes the highlight look more natural. You can use as little or as much as you want in order to get the look you want. It's a powder highlighter and easy to apply to the face with a powder brush. The powder is finely milled so won't make your face look cakey and won't highlight pores. The MSFs are available in a range of shades, with new limited editions ones constantly being released.

3. Sleek Face Contour Kit in 'Light' - £6.49
This is my most recent addition and is definitely the cheapest product shown here. It only costs £6.49 but you also get a good contour shade with that. I really like this higlighter. In the swatch you can see it's similar to the MAC higlighter, but a bit more yellow toned and the shimmer particles are much more noticeable. This is a great highlighter when I want a bit more of an obvious higlighter (it's never over the top though).

Those are my top 3 highlighters at the moment, but I'd like to try more. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

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theBalm Cosmetics | Brand Wishlist

1. theBalm Nude 'Tude Eyeshadow Palette - £26 | 2. theBalm Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer - £15 | 
3. theBalm What's YOUR Type? Mascara - The Body Builder - £12.50 | 4. theBalm Balm Jovi Palette - £34 |
5. theBalm Mama Collection - Bahama Mama Bronzer - £12.50 | 6. theBalm Put A Lid On It...Eyelid Primer - £14.50 | 7.theBalm Meet Matt(e) Nude - Nude Matte Eyeshadow Palette - £34 | 8. theBalm FratBoy Shadow/Blush - £16

 Hey everyone, 

So I know I already do monthly beauty and fashion wishlists, but I can never fit all of the products I want onto one wishlist. So I've decided to start doing brand wishlists, where I tell you all the products I want from a particular brand and why. I love reading these sorts of posts so I hope you do too!

I've recently fallen in love with theBalm Cosmetics, their packaging is funny and cute and I've heard amazing stuff about the quality too. I've yet to buy anything but there is a lot I want.

1.  theBalm Nude 'Tude Eyeshadow Palette - £26

I've heard so much about this palette. It's a neutral palette (which of course I love) and the quality of the eyeshadows looks amazing. I also love the design and how compact it seems to be, great for travelling!

2. theBalm Mary Lou Manizer Luminizer - £15

I have seen swatches of this and it looks amazing. It seems to be a very intense highlighter, but that is what I like! It's also cheaper than quite a few higher end highlighters too.

3. theBalm What's YOUR Type? Mascara - The Body Builder - £12.50

I love the branding of this! There are two types of mascara, the 'Tall Dark and Handsome' which is for length and this one, which is meant to add volume. I much prefer volume to my lashes than length so am really interesting in this mascara, love the packaging too!

4. theBalm Balm Jovi Palette - £34

Love, love, love the look of this. The theme of the palette is lovely and they've done well to show it throughout the palette. It comes with eyeshadows, highlighter, blush and lip colours, a great palette for traveling as it has so much in it!

5. theBalm Mama Collection - Bahama Mama Bronzer - £12.50

I always want to try out new bronzers and this looks lovely in the pan, the product is really cute too!

6. theBalm Put A Lid On It...Eyelid Primer - £14.50

I've never tried any eyeshadow primers apart from the Urban Decay Primer Potion, so I really want to try another one to see if there is any difference. I've heard quite a few things about this one, and I love the squeezy tube, easy to carry around.

7. theBalm Meet Matt(e) Nude - Nude Matte Eyeshadow Palette - £34

I know, I want/own too many eyeshadow palettes. But this is a nude MATTE palette. I always find it hard to find matte eyeshadow colours, but they are so much more forgiving than shimmery eyeshadows and work better for a more subtle look. A whole palette full of matte neutral eyeshadows sounds amazing.

8. theBalm FratBoy Shadow/Blush - £16

I have heard so so much about this blush. It looks like a a gorgeous colour and I love the compact packaging. I love blushes, so any excuse to add a new one to the collection and I jump on it!

So that's it!

Do you like the look of any of the products? Are there are of these you own? I'd love to hear what you think of them.

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Make Up Tattooing | Would you consider it?

Not my Image Source - Edited by Me

I've often heard things about permanent makeup or makeup tattooing. I didn't know a lot about the topic so was intrigued and decided to share my finding with you, incase you are also interested in this topic. I've tried to present as unbiased a view as I can. Also, the area of medicinal tattooing may be sensitive for some, I am not at all suggesting people should get the tattooing done, I am just giving reasons why patients have chosen to have the procedure.

What is Makeup Tattooing?
Makeup tattooing is the process by which tattoos are using to produce designs which are similar to makeup looks on the skin, such as more defined brows, permanent eyeliners, permanent lipstick etc. The makeup will be tattooed onto the skin, so no need to reapply every morning, and it will last for a long time. So you will never need to fill in your eyebrows again, they'll be shaped and filled in permanently.

How long does it last? Can it be removed?
Apparently the length of time the makeup lasts can be dependent on a lot of factors, including whether the pigments used are light or dark. Skin type can also impact, as well as age. On average, it is advised that patients have their makeup 'touched up' after 3 months.

You can have permanent makeup removed if you decide you don't like it anymore, but the laser removal is not always accurate, particularly on areas such as the eyes. Removal can be quite lengthy involving several treatments and it's pretty expensive.

Why would you choose to have permanent makeup?
There are many that choose to have it for cosmetic reasons. Those who have very sparse eyebrows that are fed up with filling them in every morning. Or those that find putting on there makeup to be a hassle. It can also be a confidence issue, for those who may not like to wake up barefaced, and would rather already have makeup on. And of course, it can be a time thing. For those in a busy job it can be the perfect solution to getting more time out of the day. It can sometimes take over 20+ minutes to apply makeup, so having your makeup on permanently means this time can be used for something else.

The procedure is also increasingly popular with men, who don't want to wear makeup yet want their natural features enhanced in a natural looking way.

Medicinal Tattooing
As well as those who choose to have makeup tattoos for cosmetic reasons, there are those that have them due to medical reasons. For example, makeup tattooing may be used to produce artificial eyebrows, where hair may have been lost due to alopecia. It can also be used to disguise scars in the skin. Those who are also no longer able to put on makeup, such as those with arthritis, may also consider the procedure. There are also those who can't wear makeup due to allergies, so this is a solution for them.

Are there risks?
As with all cosmetic procedures and tattooing there can be side effects. There may be complications in the process of makeup tattooing including allergies, scares, peeling, blistering and infection. Further complications can be caused by unsterilized equipment which could lead to infections such as Hepatitis. As with normal tattoos, there is always the risk that the person performing the procedure has not been trained correctly, which could result in poor application. If considering this, it is always best to make sure you check around for reviews of practitioners. Just search Ebay for permanent tattoo kits, I think you'll be surprised as the amount of results.

What do you think about permanent makeup? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Would you ever consider it yourself? 

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Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter | Review and Swatch

Benefit Watt's Up! is one of my favourite Benefit products. It's still a recent addition to their cosmetics line and is noticeably different to the other highlighters they produce (Such as High Beam and Moon Beam). This is one of the most beautiful highlighters I have ever used, it leaves a very natural sheen to your skin without leaving you looking like a disco ball.

The Claim:

'This cream-to-powder highlighter turns up the wattage with a delicate, gorgeous champagne glow. Its smooth application and luminous sheen switches on the "wow" factor for any complexion. Apply it to cheeks and browbones, then sculpt with the soft-glow blender for your perfect gleam.'

Packaging:
As always, Benefit is top-dog when it comes to makeup packaging. Their fun and quirky packaging is eye drawing, and their cute names make a product memorable. I love the packaging of this and was drawn to it initially because of it. I also like the name 'Watt's Up' which is a play on words, and the bottle then looks a bit like a lightbulb.

The product has two sides. The first side is a sponge applicator to blend the product into your face. I actually like the applicator, which is a surprise as I tend to hate the applicators that come with products. The only worry I would have is that the sponge could possible attract bacteria as it would be difficult to clean.

The second side of the product is the highlighter itself,  it work by twisting it up and then either applying it straight to the cheeks or using a brush. I tend to mix between methods depending on if I'm traveling or not. I find it easiest to apply straight from the applicator, but more precise to use a brush.

Application:
I've already briefly touched on this, but application is really easy. It is also a very creamy formula so it is incredible easy to blend. I don't usually wear cream highlighters but I've found that they are much easier to blend than both liquid and powder highlighters, which can sometimes be a bit more difficult to blend into your foundation.

Pigmentation:
As you can see in the swatch it is a very pigmented product and a little goes a long way. It does look dark on my fair skin but it is easy to blend in (I could have blended the swatch in more but it would have been hard to photograph the effect). I like to wear this just above my bronzer to add a sheen to it. I still use this in the winter though when I use less bronzer, it adds a very natural 'lit from within' glow to my face.

Lasting Power:
The lasting power of this is good too. I've gotten 8+ hours of wear out of this. It's also incredibly easy to touch up due to the creamy texture. So even though a powder formula may last a bit longer, it's a lot easier to touch it up than it would be to touch up a powder highlighter.

Availability and Price:
The Benefit Watt's Up! Highlighter is available for £24.50 from Benefit Cosmetics.

I highly recommend this highlighter, it's one of my favourites in my makeup bag. It has such a gorgeous sheen to it and highlights the skin beautifully. It is on the pricier side but you get a lot of product and it lasts ages.

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GOSH Click 'N' Conceal 01 Light | Review and Swatch

Like many other people, I have always sworn by Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, however I had come to end of my last tube and decided to try a new concealer. I was looking through Boots and came across this concealer from GOSH. I've never owned any GOSH products but have always heard good things about their foundation and that they are good for catering to pale skins.

The Claim:

'GOSH Click'n Conceal is a new high quality concealer with the amazing ability to reduce dark circles and puffiness and hide skin imperfections. Click'n Conceal is very easy to apply with the Click function. Click, conceal and look fresh and flawless.  Can be applied under the eyes to brighten and reduce puffiness and dark circles. It has an anti aging effect which will renew and smooth your skin.'

The only one of these which I'm not sure on is the anti-aging effect. I'm 19 years old so any anti-aging effect isn't really going to have a huge effect on me.

Packaging:
On one hand, I like the fact that the packaging is easy to carry around, and you can apply it without a brush if you are traveling. However, I have found that sometimes it takes 8+ clicks of the pen to get enough product out which can be frustrating. The nib of the pen also often gets messy due to excess product being left on the brush.

Colour:
I'm very pale (for reference Mac NC15 is too dark for me) and I've found this is a little bit too dark for me, but not too dark that I can't blend it into my foundation. I'd say it's a bit darker than the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 01 Fair. It is still a pale shade, and I can use it on my skin, so for the majority of skins this will be a good match for you.

Coverage:
The concealer offers good coverage, I like the fact that this concealer is neither drying or oily. You can pat a small amount onto a blemish or your undereye circles and it does a good job of concealing them. It is also really easy to blend into the skin and a little bit goes a long way. I wouldn't say it's the most heavy coverage concealer in the world, so if you suffer from bad breakouts this may not be for you, but for small blemishes and under eye circles it does a good job.

Application:
Like I said, the formula is very creamy and not cakey in the slightest. It's very easy to blend into your skin or your foundation. I find it is also easy to layer it up to create higher coverage. You can either apply it straight from the brush or using a brush. It also has a nice finish on the skin, blending in well.

Lasting Power:
This lasts really well on me, but my favourite thing is that it doesn't cake or cling to dry patches. Sometimes concealer can actually begin to fade or cling to my dry patches after several hours of wear, luckily this doesn't do that. It also lasts well throughout the day, I always set my concealer with powder to prolong its wear. I find this lasts 8+ hours on me.

Availability and Pricing:
For some reason I can't find this item on the Superdrug site even though I only bought it two weeks ago. It's available on the GOSH site for €11.99 (£6.99) in four colours, including a green for cancelling out redness.

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