No post on Sundays #001 #002

So yes, the title is a lie but couldn't resist it. So I've decided to start Sunday posts, so this one will be for today and last week. 

I bought tickets to see Jack Whitehall well over a year ago, and last Wednesday was finally the night, I even booked half a day off work to make sure I had plenty of time to go home and get ready. My sister joined me and we really enjoyed our night with pretty decent seats, at one point Jack was right next to us as he entered the arena. I would definitely pay to go see Jack again, but at the moment I'm just looking for any other comedy shows to fill in the time.

Saturday was a girlie day with my mum, for my birthday (back in February) I said I wanted a watch but couldn't find the right one, finally last Saturday I found the perfect watch and I love it! The past week I have found myself just staring at my watch whenever it catches me eye, I think it's beautiful.

I had recently finished reading The Book Thief which I really enjoyed reading as it's written in a really interesting way, so decided to continue the girlie day we'd go to see it in the cinema. I did enjoy the film, even if it was disturbed from the loud screen next door, but I would recommend both watching and reading this when you get the chance. 

This week was less exciting really. I decided it was time to catch up on some BBC shows that I haven't seen before. I started and finished The White Queen and soon realised how shoddy my history is in regards to past royalty, so while entraining me I'm glad I was also able to touch up on my history lessons. 

I also made a conscious point a long time ago not to watch Sherlock until I was ready, and I'm so glad I waited. I was able to watch all three seasons on my own accord and loved every episode, I know in the past I saw some fans moan but I personally loved every single minute, and would definitely recommend! I know that since I've watched it, it has been uploaded onto Netflix, so no excuses people!

Friday was my dad's birthday, so we went for a nice family meal at one of our local pubs. Although the portions weren't the best, I did enjoy going out and chatting with my family. I also believe I found the best, and funniest card ever, I couldn't stop laughing in the shop so had to buy it. Luckily it gave my dad a little laugh as well.

So I have been trying to be good with my money, hence why there haven't been any news posts of make-up etc. I am trying to wait for Urban Decay's "secret" launch party on April 18th, I refuse to leave the party without purchasing some new stuff, but if I can wait that long before purchasing any new goodies is a whole different matter. 

I went to IKEA yesterday and purchased a bedside table, been needing to get one for a year, so it was about time really! But I saw some much more I want to buy for my room, may end up with another visit to IKEA next week.

Have you been up to much? Any recommendations on any reads or things to watch? Or even any shows I can keep an eye out for?

Till next time

Ultrabland - Removing Make Up

Time to talk about the other side of make up, removing it. There are so many different ways to remove make up, and most people have tried a few different methods and brands, but I have found my all time favourite.

Ultrabland 100g

The ingredients list is very basic, rose water and rose absolute to help calm and counteract any redness, honey and almond oil to moisturise, and the main miracle worker is the beeswax. Beeswax gently lifts off any dirt from the skin, including all your make up. These ingredients will also help to balance your skins natural HP balance, so is great for all skin types. 

It's is very easy to use, apply a layer all over your face and massage well although it won't take much effort at all for it to work. 

It is so gentle, you can actually open your eyes without it stinging! As you can see by my picture, all my make up has lifted off and is ready to be removed.

I use large cotton pads, wet them in warm water and remove the Ultrabland.

Ta-da! All my make up has been removed, so quick and easy without the need of having to use a few wipes to make sure it's all gone. Previously when using other products, especially wipes I had thought everything was removed to wake up and see a thin line of eye-liner remaining, but never with this. 

It comes in two sizes, 45g - £6.95 or 100g - £10.95, this will last you a very long time, as you only need the smallest amount for each application, so I would 100% recommend this for everyone to use, once you do you'll be hooked!

Have you tried Ultrabland? Or know of any other good make up removers?

Till next time

VO5 Smoothly Does it Straightening Lotion

After testing this lotion out for two weeks, I can now give a fair verdict on what I think about it. At first the price put me off, I hadn't heard any reviews about the product at all, but decided in the end £5.99 would be a reasonable price if the product delivered what it claimed.

VO5 Smoothly Does it Straightening Lotion

Firstly to explain how to use this new lotion, the instructions advise to put between 8 - 10 pumps (for mid hair) on your hair and blow dry your hair in sections. Then straighten your hair in small sections on the highest setting and repeat 5 times.  To get the most of this product they advise to do this at least twice a week, which works out fine as this claims to last for 3 washes. I was a bit sceptical about not applying anything to my hair after the second wash, but on the instructions it does say you can re-apply 3 - 4 pumps after the second and third wash.

This lotion leaves my hair very soft and after just blow-drying I can see a difference with how straight it keeps my hair. When going for the poker straight look however I still spray my hair with Lee Stafford Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection Mist otherwise for a more natural straight hair look, this stuff does the job.

I must say I am impressed and will repurchase as it leaves my hair soft and manageable, even if I don't straighten after drying. I would recommend this for anyone who is constantly straightening their hair, as you will notice a difference.

Have you tried this product yet? Or would you consider trying a product that can last for 3 washes?

Till next time

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Illamasqua Review

So the lovely ladies at my local Illamsqua stand let me try some of their products as I haven't really tried anything of theirs before. I have had my eye on this brand for a long time now, and have constantly read good things online, and now I can see why, and must admit I have fallen in love.

 

This was the look we created, we decided to go for a day time look but I loved the look so much I didn't change a thing before going out for the night. Everything I've got on is Illamasqua, so I'll give you all the breakdown of what I'm wearing.

Face:- Started off with their primer Illmasqua Matt Primer, this primer comes in two options, Matt or Satin to make sure the primer suits your skin type. Matt for oily skin, while the Satin is for dry skin. I was impressed with this straight away and it helped keep the shine away to create a matt finish all night.

The foundation I tried was Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in 8, a little amount went a long way. At first I was unsure about how the product sat on my skin, but after a few minutes I changed my mind, it had settled and worked with my skin to create a flawless look, rather than just looking like a layer on my skin. They explain that this foundation was inspired by the cult Asian market Beauty Balms, and I can tell you they did their homework as this blends effortlessly. The foundation is very lightweight and dries quickly onto the skin, from the moment you put it on you forget you're wearing it. 

I've only ever used powder blush, so decided to try a cream blush this time to compare. For this look the blush of choice was Illamasqua Velvet Blusher in Peaked, this is a cream to powder blush which is applied on top of the foundation, to create a blush from within look, rather than applying it on top of the powder. I really liked the look this blush achieved, and only a little bit was needed.

To finish off with the face, Illamasqua Pressed Powder in 120 was used all over, this helped set everything in place and create the matt look I personally like, although I know some people prefer to leave the powder. 

 

Eyes:- For the eyes only one palette was used, Illamasqua Generation Q: Complement Palette which comes with a cream eye-shadow that can be used on it's own or as a primer for the other colours. All of the shades are highly pigmented and I can see how easily it would be to change this day time look, to a night time look. I often go for soft neutral colours, such as UD Naked 2, so I was pleasantly surprised to see how much these plum shades suited my eyes. 

Illamasqua only have one mascara, that works to both thicken and lengthen the lashes.  Illamasqua Masquara Raven is easily applied, and if you prefer to build up your lashes I would imagine this would easily be achieved as well.

 

Lips:- I've saved the best for last, the lips! I normally prime my lips, however this time we simply went for a lip liner, Illamasqua Colouring Lip Pencil in Lust, I don't normally use lip pencils, but after this I think I see the error in my ways. The lip pencil helps create a clean line, between the lips and the rest of the face, helping define shape.  For the colour I chose Illamasqua Lipstick in Resist, the colour looked a lot darker on my lips once it was on, but I think this is my new favourite shade. 

The lipstick stayed on my lips all night, lasting for at least 8 hours without the need to top it up at all, this lipstick doesn't leave stains or marks on glasses when you eat and drink. To say I was impressed is an understatement, I couldn't believe a lipstick could last so long!

Overall my first experience with Illamasqua has been amazing, I had compliments all night on how flawless and natural my complexion looked, and the amazement of how good my lipstick looked all night. I just need pay day to come around so I can start stocking up on these items.

Update: Since writing this post, I went back to the shop and purchased the lipstick, I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing it was! 

Have you guys used any of these products before? Or anything else from Illamasqua you would recommend?

Till next time

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Beauty Crowd: Would You Rather?

1. Would you rather be able to apply eyeliner perfectly or be able to contour like Kim Kardashian?

Think I would have to say apply eyeliner perfectly, the perfectly shaped eyeliner can drastically change your look, and I've been trying for years to conquer all the different techniques and still fail. 

2. Would you rather wear foundation which is two shades lighter or two shades darker?

Lighter, I like the pale look in general as a base, then I can pick how much blush or bronzer to use on top. 

3. Would you rather wear no lipstick ever again or no eyeliner ever again?

This is easy, no eyeliner! My one true love with always be lipstick. Plus can always use dark eyes shadow instead of eyeliner if I get desperate. 

4. Would you rather give up your foundation or your mascara?

Ahh this is hard, because I could probably live without both, however as I have to pick one, I'll chose to give up mascara. The majority of the time I wear glasses, so might as well make my complexion as flawless as it can be. 

5. Would you rather apply your makeup yourself with no mirror whilst on a bumpy car journey or ask a 5 year old child to do it?

Bumpy car journey, how hard could it actually be...

6. Would you rather wear exactly the same makeup every single day for the rest of your life or drastically change your makeup every single day for the rest of your life (even if it doesn’t suit you!)?

Oh gosh, I'm going to sound boring and say the same make up for every single day. At least you'll know you'll look good no matter the occasion!

7. Would rather have dodgy brows or have patchy fake tan?

This could go either way really, if I keep my fringe then I'll pick the dodgy brows, if I grow it out then the patchy fake tan. Your brows shape your face!

8. Would you rather have perfectly white teeth or have your perfect hairstyle?

Can I have braces? If not then teeth, I manage styling my hair now, but couldn't have horrible teeth,

9. Would you rather wear the same colour nail varnish for the rest of your life or be able to change the colours of your varnish whenever you like but it’s always a little bit smudged?

I'd have to be able to change them, even if it's smudged it wouldn't bother me as I normally get bored of a colour after a few days. 

10. Would you rather have lots of scented body and perfume products that smell amazing to you but to everyone else you smell like pine tree car air freshener or have products that smell average to you but smell incredible to those around you?

If your perfume suits you, you shouldn't be able to smell it. So this is easy. Have it smell incredible for those around me.

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e.l.f Cosmetics Lipstick Reviews

The first items I was going to try out from my recent haul was naturally going to be the lipsticks. As previously mentioned, lipsticks will always be my main love when it comes to makeup, so it was impossible to make an order without trying a few shades.

Sadly, some of the shades I wanted were out of stock, so may pop into the shop and buy them at full price. 

 

Mineral Lipstick - Cool Coral

 

Moisturising Lipstick - Pink Minx

 

Moisturising Lipstick - Rosy Go Round

Cool Coral - Described on the website as hydrating and long lasting colour for your lips, and I must agree the lipstick itself is very hydrating. Can be applied straight to the lip without the need to prime, and keeps your lips feeling smooth and hydrated once it has been applied, almost like a thick lip balm. The colour has a warm coral tone, and luckily for me not too much on the orange side as I personally feel that strong orange/coral tones wash me out. However the shade has a metallic after finish to it which I wasn't expecting from the pictures online. I think this will be a great shade to try out in the sun. 

Pink Minx - Described on the website as a velvety, satin texture that glides on the lips with vibrant colour and luminous shine. Although this did glide on the lips, it glided on a bit too easily, and left a luminous shine but I must admit it actually felt cheap once it was on. The colour is best described as muted rose on the box and online, however once I put it on it looked paler than expected, but also like "plastic" and felt like it sat on my lips rather than become part of my lips and overall make up look. I am disappointed with this one and doubt I will use it again. 

Rosy Go Round - This shade came from the same lipstick range as Pink Minx, however it sits miles apart. The shade is best described as a deep rosy pink, which glides easily on the lips and immediately takes on the satin texture described on the website. This formula is described as rich and creamy, and this time round I can full heartedly agree, it applies smoothly and stays in place without the need to prep the lip beforehand, but also doesn't dry the lip out throughout the day. Of all the lipsticks this one has got to be my favourite, and I can see this lipstick joining my daily collection that I carry around as it stays on the lips for a few hours without the need to re-apply and offers the best colour pay-off.

Overall I love Rosy Go Round and would recommend this as purchase, but was disappointed by Pink Minx, while Cool Coral sits in the middle, as I'm still not 100% sure on wearing coral tones for myself, but if you like those tones I would recommend it for you. 

Considering the price for these, ranging from £3.95 to £5.00 I would say it's worth giving a few shades a go, might find a new shade you haven't considered before can actually suit you!

I'm looking forward to wearing the two shades over the next few weeks, and will probably go to my local e.l.f shop and buy a few more, as long as they applied on the lips llike Rosy Go Round.

Have you tried any of their lipsticks or shades? What are your thoughts?

Till next time 

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e.l.f Cosmetics

So e.l.f Cosmetics had a sale last week, everything 50% off with free delivery, hard to say no to that. I decided this was the perfect excuse to try a few things, and see where it goes from there. 

My order consisted of:-

Studio Eyebrow Kit (Light)

Moisturising Lipstick (Rosy-Go-Round)

Moisturising Lipstick (Pink Minx)

Mineral Lipstick (Cool Coral)

Bamboo Smudge Brush

Blush Brush

Studio Stipple Brush

Studio Makeup Lock and Seal 

Studio Makeup Mist and Set

I'll be posting a piece shortly for the lipsticks, with my review and swatches. 

Further posts will follow once I try everything else, I'm especially intrigued by the Studio Makeup Lock and Seal, that caught my eye straight away and the eyebrow kit, my eyebrows are slowly becoming my new obsession to perfect, so hoping this will be just as good as UD.

Although I'm happy with my purchases and it was a good excuse to stock up on brushes, I do regret not ordering some blush! If I like all these products I will look into it with my nearest e.l.f shop.

Have you tried any of these products, or have any recommendations for future purchases?

Till next time

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Glamour Magazine

So I just thought I would do a little post quickly to make you guys aware about Glamour Magazine for this month. It's already out in shops and they're giving away free Model Co make-up!

The total worth of all the make up is £76 but each magazine is only £2, so a bargain even if it's just to try some new items.

While looking around today I spotted the mascara and the lip enhancer so decided to try them both, but for the price I may just collect them all! Easy and cheap way to top up your make up.

I'll do a review on these items once I get a chance to use them, have you managed to grab any or used these before?

Till next time!

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Storage Issues No More

So for a long time, in fact far too long I have been living with my make up out of a few different bags, including my personal make-up bag I carry around. At first I was okay with this, but as I was filling up my third bag I started to realise how impractical this was and frankly a waste of my time rummaging through three to four different bags looking for a particular item.

The last straw was after I started losing make-up, firstly I lost my MAC - Pink Pearl Pop (still gutted over this loss) and then for a few days I couldn't find my UD - Turn On. 

I needed a place to put all my make-up and be able to access it all easily, so decided it would be for the best to purchase a case big enough to hold everything easily.

 

ebay Cosmetic Case*

After spending some time looking around, I finally found a case that would fit my needs. I wasn't looking for any colours in particular, it was more about storage space so I was lucky when I found one big enough in my favourite colour, delivery took no time at all and all this for only £24!

The case is rather large, but I know they also come is smaller sizes or even bigger if you need. For me it's the perfect size to start me off. 

The little draws at the top are perfect for holding my lipsticks in order, meaning no more missing lipsticks form my collection! 

So far I love my new case, and it's so easy to move all my make up around with me. I just need to take the time now to find all my items to put them safely away.

How do you store your make up? Any tips for the future once this fills up?

Till next time

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My Weekend...

I haven't managed to post on here for a week and I thought I could show you guys why! 

Firstly, as most people during the week I had work which tends to drain me, as its on the computers by the time I come home I don't normally feel like sitting in front of my laptop. 

So Friday night came along, and it was a night out with work.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm

Estee Lauder Double Wear

Benefit Boi-ing

Urban Decay Naked Skin - Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder

Benefit Dallas Blusher

Benefit Sugarbomb Blusher

Too Faced Eye Primer

Urban Decay Naked 2

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On eye pencil

Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Mascara

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Face -  After cleansing and moisturising, my next step is always to prime my face for the make-up. This is to help my make-up last longer, but also acts as a barrier to stop the make-up blocking my pores, at the moment my favourite item to use is Urban Decays Naked Skin Beauty Balm, which I have already discussed in a previous post. This smooths the skin out and adds a slight colour to help your foundation.

Next is touching up any areas that may need extra help, for this I have turned to Benefit Boi-ing in shade 2, light - medium. After trying a few different concealers, including Benefit's Erase Paste, this is definitely my favourite. It's not as thick as Erase Paste, but I feel it offers better coverage and usability as it's easier to manage. 

Obviously now it's time for foundation, on a day to day basis I normally wear Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light, however for nights out I step this up a bit, and go for the classic, both of these in Intensity 2-0. For day to day I find the normal far too heavy on my face and "cakey" but for a night out it's perfect. I know that because it has SPF it can be a nightmare for pictures with a flash, however I feel my setting powder counteracts this issue. 

My favourite setting powder, probably of all time is the new Urban Decay Naked Skin - Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder in Medium - Light. These powders come in five different shades, but it's so light and loose they won't affect your shade too much, what it does offer however is a soft finish to your make up. I find it buffs out any issues and makes my make up look smooth all over, also leaving skin feeling silky smooth.

Last few steps now, and moving onto contour and blush. Although the picture doesn't show this very well, I promise you it has been done! My go to item for contouring is Benefit Dallas Blusher, as all my make up is on the paler side, I only want a soft contouring effect and find Dallas suits my tone more than Hoola,or at least until I get a bit more of a tan. For blush, my go to for the last few weeks has been Benefit Sugarbomb, I find this offers the perfect amount of warmth to my face for these winter months, I actually use both of these for my face during the day as well. 

The last step for my night out make-up is to set it all into place, I only own one spray for this at the moment and that's Urban Decay All Nighter - Long Lasting Make Up Setting Spray. Simple to use, just spray across your face in an x movement and leave it to dry in place, which will take a minute maximum. 

Needless to say, my make-up stayed in place all night, and the next morning.

Eyes - I probably spend the least amount of time doing my eyes, so it's all pretty simple. As with my face the first step is always to prime, at the moment I'm testing out Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer, which helps to smooth out any creases and evens the skin tone.I find it's easier to add my eye shadow onto a primer. This primer is excellent, as the next morning my eye shadow was still in place (naughty not to remove it, I know!)

My choice of eye shadow at the moment is Urban Decay Naked 2 Eye Shadow Palette however as there are so many reviews out there on this, and let's be honest the majority of the blogging world owns one of these palettes, I won't waste time describing this, and same for my eye liner which was Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eye pencil in zero, although I won't go into too much detail I will also add that this survived perfectly until the next morning, even after sleep, so I'm very impressed!

Although it's hard to see with this photo, my choice of mascara is Soap and Glory, Thick & Fast Flash Extensions Mascara High Definition Collagen Coat, I feel that this mascara is a little underrated but has got to be one of my favourites. My lashes are naturally long with a slight curl to them, so I'd rather emphasise on volume and colour for them, the thicker and darker the better! I can achieve this with one coat, and have never felt the need to go back and add another coat. Will post pictures in the future to show the full effect of this mascara, which only costs £10.50, as far as I'm concerned it's win win here.

Lips - My lips all night were Urban Decay.To start off the night and in this picture I chose Lovelight, and as the night moved on I moved to Manic. Can find full reviews of these in my previous post. I wore these all night without the need to use a lip primer. 

So that was my Friday night make-up, as I was meeting people at 16:30 I didn't want to start too dark for the night out, so went for a subtle look.

The next day was Cardiff's Film and Comic Con, I've attended this before and found it enjoyable. It's nice to be able to walk around in one area looking at stalls and the people who dress up, I wish I took some pictures now as some of the people there were amazing! Made me feel under-dressed and jealous. 

I saw this lanyard last time I was there and didn't buy it at the time, not even sure why, but I immediately regretted it. Luckily for me they were back, so I snapped it up straight away. Now my work pass will never be boring around my neck! 

Hope you've all had a good weekend and ready to start the new week!

Till next time

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MAC Lipsticks

So my first move from drug-store lipsticks was MAC lipsticks, I instantly fell in love with all the colours and shades, I have no idea where to begin. At this moment in time I own five of their lipsticks, I wish I could say six but sadly I recently lost my Pink Pearl Pop, still living in hope that it some day turns up. 

 

Snob

 

Please Me

 

Pink Nouveau 

 

Speak Louder

 

Girl About Town

Not sure why my lips decided to look moody about half way through, sorry about that!

I love the colours and shades that come with MAC cosmetics, and to this day I still only own a handful of the colours I've had my eye on. I do find that with most shades however it is best to prime the lip first to make the colours last longer, but the colour pay off is worth is as all the shades are highly pigmented and will always get you the attention you want. 

Snob - Light neutral pink, Satin Finish. Snob was my first purchase and I find that it is very thick on the lips and can cause some drag when applying, so with this colour I would definitely recommend a primer or moisturising your lips before use if you normally suffer from dry lips. Although it is a pale shade of pink, I find it is just as bold to wear as any  bright colour because of the contrast against the skin, although I used to wear this colour a lot more when I was blonde, I still think it's a lovely shade, especially around summer time as an alternate to the popular peachy, pinky shades. The colour normally stays on for around four hours, but I do find you will need to top this up after eating or drinking. 

Please Me - Muted-rosy-tinted pink, Matte Finish. Just like the previous colour, this texture is very thick on the lip, and as a matte finish you will need to make sure to prep your lips if they aren't in a very good condition, as the lipstick will emphasise any flaws. However, once you have put this lipstick on it is one of the best day to day shades, especially if you like a matte finish to your look. I find this one does stay on your lips a while longer than Snob, but you will also find yourself topping this up after a few hours. 

Pink Nouveau - Bright pink - Satin Finish. Unlike the previous two, Pink Nouveau glides on the lips easier, and you won't feel the need to prep as much unless you wanted the extra moisturising. This was my original "Barbie" pink and is the perfect shade for summer days, unlike Urban Decays Turn on, this shade feels more "solid" and "blocky" on the lips, with no shimmer. This colour will last on your lips for a few hours without having to re-apply, and will dry your lips out a lot less than the previous two. 

Speak Louder - Clean poppy blue pink - Cremesheen finish - Out of all the shades I currently own this is the smoothest lipstick straight onto the lip (Pink Pearl Pop had the same texture, but sadly no longer with me) with this one I have never felt the need to prime or prep my lips, and find the colour stays on the lips for hours without re-applying, as this colour also lightly stains your lips once it has worn off. This shade can be worn for any occasion, and I normally wear it around the office, and can still wear it when I'm out for the night. I had my eye on this shade for months before finally purchasing it, and I can say it has lived up to expectations. Out of all my MAC lipsticks, this one is my favourite. 

Girl About Town - Bright blue fuchsia - Amplified Creme finish - Just like Speak Louder, this lipstick doesn't need any prep or prime before applying and glides on with no tugging to the lips. This is a very bold colour, which I find perfect for either nights our or summer days if you wanted something that stands out. The blue-undertones help to make your teeth look whiter as well, which is always on a bonus when wearing lipstick. Out of all the shades mentioned, Girl About Town will give you the biggest colour pay off, as it is so highly pigmented you will find your lips will stay stained vividly for a few hours, saving you having to top it up unless you wanted the creme finish on your lips. 

MAC have such a vast arrange of shades, you will be able to achieve the look you want. I would advise however with these lipsticks, to prep and prime the lips - especially if you normally suffer from dry lips as you may find your lips can be dry at the end of the day, especially with the more thicker lipsticks. Saying that,no make up collection would be complete without a MAC lipstick, it's all about finding the perfect shade and finish for you. 

What are your thoughts on MAC lipsticks? Any favourite shades I haven't mentioned?

Till next time

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