no 7 lipstick in 'gay geranium'.

eek, april showers is here with a vengeance! thunder, lightening, rain, hailstones... you name it. it seems that the skies are permanently dark now. oddly enough, this is by no means reflected in my make-up as i've been opting for bright shades that are better suited for summer. now, anyone who knows me would probably agree that i give all shades of lipstick a go. i'm not really intimidated by colours. however, there is one shade that i only wear on a brave day - and that shade is 'gay geranium' by no 7.

my pictures really don't capture just how bright this shade is. it is by far my most brightest and vivid shade amongst my 40+ lipsticks. hell, it even attracted abuse by a passer-by! hahaha. it's a creamy, borderline-neon orange, and was purchased by accident when i thought i had picked another shade and instead came home with this.

 dress - hussein chalayan, necklace - harrods.

face: sephora base subliminatrice, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: max factor false lash effect mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: mac (ladyblush), no 7 vital enlightening highlighting powder.
lips: no 7 (gay geranium).

despite picking this up by accident, i was already aware of the shade anyway. it's actually been around for years and years and was retained from no 7's archives, although i can't remember exactly how old it is off the top of my head. the packaging is equally as classic, and is totally gimmick-free. like all oranges and corals, i felt that it looked best with dewy, highlighted skin - and so i went for that.

the lipstick itself has a semi-matte finish and has a near-perfect formulation. it doesn't go on my teeth, lasts long, and the pigmentation is crazy! i'd really recommend it for those who are super brave with their make-up and love wearing lips that pop with colour.

in other news: two weeks until exams. HELP?

review: real techniques stippling brush by samantha chapman.

i'm soooooorry. i know, i know. you're probably gagging and clawing away at your own face, having seeing yet ANOTHER review about the real techniques brushes that were designed by samantha chapman (who is one half of pixiwoo). i guess the hype stems from the fact that they use this brush a lot in their tutorials (so i've heard). i admittedly haven't watched any pixiwoo tutorials in a long while simply because i haven't had the time, but seeing as i didn't own a stippling brush up until now, i was curious about it.

this brush is designed for buffing in foundation, but i just don't see myself using it that way. it's probably just me with my massive head (because i'm so brainy, obviously) but the brush just seems too small for that - so i'll be sticking with my beloved kabuki brush. instead, i find more use in this brush for cream products or things which may not work as well as 'regular' brushes such as illamasqua skin base, topshop cream blushes, liquid highlighters... things like that.

there is one product in particular which this has been a godsend for. unlike the above products (where i could just use my fingers), i sometimes struggle to use nars' multiples on my cheeks. if i use my fingers it could look uneven, and using normal blusher brushes just doesn't pick up enough product. so, the stippling brush is absolutely super for that! it's small enough to control how you are applying the cream product on your face, but wide/dense enough to get a decent amount of product on. i only found this out today though.

face: no 7 'beautiful skin' day cream, 17 primer, bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, benefit creaseless cream eyeshadow (get figgy), rimmel kohl pencil, maybelline gel liner, revlon 'grow luscious' mascara, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: topshop (neon rose), benefit gilded highlighter (tangerine gold).
lips: revlon 'just bitten' lipstain (passion).

what i also really liked is how it feels. it's not as soft as brushes by the body shop or urban decay, but softer than mac. i also love how it buffs blusher into the skin and gives it a really soft-looking, more polished effect. would i recommend this to absolutely everyone? no. i only think it's a must-have if you're a blusher fiend like me and have a lot of cream blushes, or have less of a football head than i do and could use a small brush to buff in your foundation.

cons? oddly enough, i don't think i really have any. like i keep saying, i think it'd be pretty cool if they brought out a bigger version of this that would buff liquid foundation quickly. all in all, i'm just pleased that samantha chapman has obviously made people think about buffing in products into their skin. it really does make the world of difference (~i did it before it was mainstream guise~) in terms of finish and how polished your make-up looks.

in other news: i submitted my 21,000 words! but as time passes, more doubt creeps into my mind. i'm starting to think that all of those words were terrible. that aside, i also get to enjoy an extra £112 per month all to myself as i'm no longer having to commute. recently i used some of that and treated myself to this crystal-encrusted bracelet (which won't surprise those who have read my previous jewellery post). it reminds me of cleopatra, medusa, basically ALL of the historical/mythological bad bitches out there. what do you think?

bracelet - kenneth jay lane.

17 lipstick in 'bon bon'.

SPECIAL DELIVERY. by way of apology, i present a lipstick review AND some nails AND my make-up of the day AND an outfit. let's kiss and make-up.

isn't this adorable? it is on monki's delivery bags. much better than the soul-destroying, fear-inducing grey ones from asos so i like to think...

as i said in my last blog post, i don't really go anywhere anymore. for that reason, any make-up i have been wearing has been low-key, using cheaper products. basically opting for an all-round beautifying look that basically makes me presentable to the world. my latest plaything is 17 cosmetic's sheen supreme lipstick in 'bon bon'. i've raved about how much i like the formulation before, but in a nutshell, the finish is creamy, hydrating and has decent lasting power.

'bon bon' is a natural-looking, slightly toffee-ish, slightly caramel sort of shade. it's a shade that can definitely be used in a nude look or glammed up for the evening - and therefore pretty versatile. when i can't decide what lipstick to wear, i have a set of 'to go' safe options (which suit everything) and i can see this becoming one of them. if you are like me and hate super nude shades, having unfortunately found yourself in the position where you need something sensible but with warmth (e.g. for srs occasions), then this is a great choice.

face: 17 primer, no 7 essentially natural foundation (light beige), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), no 7 lash adapt mascara, the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: illamasqua (lover), no 7 vital enlightening highlighter.
lips: 17 (bon bon).

and finally, what i've been slumming around in as of late. I DON'T GO ANYWHERE YOU GUYS, SERIOUSLY. zero glamour. the dress is a very big size small - and if i were sensible, i would exchange it... but i am too lazy.  i am also fully aware that these are crap photos and that a bathroom shot (like my bin?) does not compare to photos where people are jumping mid-air in a field/stepping out of a taxi/looking pensive while standing in the road - but i do try. i don't even own a tripod (my camera is in fact on a tin, balanced on a box). i mean really, this is not my thing.

 dress - monki, shoes - topshop.

nails - gosh (wild lilac), ring - river island.

i hope everyone had a delicious easter!

review: soap & glory 'the fab pore' face mask.

first and foremost: sorry yet again for lagging on the blogging front! i feel terribly guilty about it, but i have a valid reason. those of you who follow this blog regularly (or my twitter) will probably know about the dreaded 21,000 words i had due in for april. now i have a week left, and 5,000 words to go. because of this, i haven't really left the house... and when i don't leave the house, i don't wear make-up... and when i don't wear make-up, i can't blog. SEE!

anyway. even though i've owned this for a while now, i'm really loving this face-mask at the moment.

i know that every face mask under the sun claims to be 'intensive', but this really is it. i use it when my skin is spotty or oily, and recommend it for those skin types only as i find that it dries up my face. it leaves my skin smooth and matte, forming a better base for make-up. in a really odd way, it reminds me of how your hands feel after you put plaster of paris on them. some may like it, some may hate it. nevertheless, that matte feeling is quite long-lasting, as my skin doesn't become oily again for the rest of the day. as i only use it for that reason, i can't really comment on whether or not it really minimises pores in the long-term.

it's nothing revolutionary in terms of application. although it's called a 'peel', it really isn't. you just get some product, rub it into your face (until the green beads dissolve), leave for 5 minutes and voila! wash off. it is also a tad pricey at £8, but believe me when i say that the tub (although small) does last a long time. i think this is definitely going to become a summer staple of mine.

summer skin.

let's face it: people either love or hate this time of year. the sun begins to shine, the sound of ice-cream vans fills my entire neighbourhood and everyone just seems a lot more happier. tourists remain reasonably sensible wearing normal clothes and light jackets, whereas londoners tend to go beserk at the very thought of a singular ray of heat. vests, shorts, sandals, hats, sunglasses - you name it. i admit that i too have got a little excited as of late. i went to the v&a last night and whilst everyone else looked chic and appropriate, i had looked like i had fallen straight of a cuban cabaret. thank god unfortunately i do not have photos of that, which is maybe for the best.

as i insist on getting my legs out in public, these two products are being used on a daily basis at the moment.

the body shop papaya body butter - this product is my everything. my favourite thing in the whole wide world. i mean, lord only knows how many times i've tried to eat it. it smells divine, hydrates the skin and leaves it feeling silky smooth without being greasy or slippery. i often buy different fruits but mango and strawberry remain my firm favourites and so if you fancy trying it out, those two are the ones i recommend. if the thought of shelling out £12.50 for a regular-sized tub seems too steep, i'd recommend stocking up during the sales. often they reduce the prices of regular-sized body butter to £5 a tub, which frankly, makes it a steal.

palmers cocoa butter scar serum - this is actually a rubbish product. i just thought i would just throw that out there. it's like the body butter's horrible sister. it doesn't remove scars, feels really sticky, and has an odd texture that is somewhere between greasy and rubbery. my legs are absolutely covered in scars and so i am using this every day anyway, just to finish it up and bin it. i don't even know what drove me to buy this product anyway as scars often heal and disappear on their own accord (i should know as i am the queen of burnt skin). perhaps i just wanted a quick fix.

here is also a quick list of the make-up i wore today. i wore my all-time favourite lipstick, 'classic rose' by no 7. i think it is perfection both in terms of texture and shade, and often recommend it to others. i've actually been rewatching all of mad men (who hasn't?) and the girls often wear a shade similar to it in the early series.

earrings - topshop, dress - mango (from years ago!).

face: no 7 'beautiful skin' day cream, 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), bourjois healthy mix foundation (52), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac studio fix lash (black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud).
cheeks: duwop (peach), no 7 vital illuminating highlighter.
lips: no 7 (classic rose).

in other news: i returned home late last night to find a 'further steps notice' from a north london court (note - i do not live in north london) saying i owe a £65 fine. it does not state why though, and so i'm utterly baffled and apparently have two days to pay it off. stop it 2012. STOP IT NOW.

sleek eyeshadow palette in 'sunset'.

i can't be alone in believing that make-up can be great - especially when it's free. i won this 'sunset' eyeshadow palette by sleek simply by retweeting something on twitter (such arduous effort, right?) and figured i'd review it anyway. up until now, i have only owned one product by sleek and that is their 'rose gold' blush, which is one of my all-time favourites. i absolutely love it, and bought it way before i realised that it was ~kind of a big deal~ amongst a lot of bloggers. seeing as i've never tried any of sleek's eyeshadows at all, i was obviously very curious to see if they would be just as good.

first things first: admittedly, i don't think i'd buy this palette if i was in a shop. eyeshadow in general just terrifies me and the bright yellows and blues and reds in this look pretty intimidating at first sight. eyeliner and lipstick is what suits my features the most. however, i was really intrigued by some of the colours too, which resemble terracotta but with hints of red and pink which i haven't really seen anywhere else. i should have really gone all out (i'm looking at you, oh crazy trio of orange, yellow and blue) but i just felt massively boring today and stuck to the more sensible shades. in reality, the hint of yellow in the inner corners of my eyes is about as wild as i could get today. (brb, putting down my heroin.)

i look so tired, ugh.

face: 17 primer, mac studio fix fluid (nw30), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: urban decay primer potion, sleek eyeshadow palette (sunset), rimmel kohl pencil, mac studio fix lash (black), ruby & millie eyeliner pencil (brown/black), mac eyebrow pencil (stud), the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: sleek (rose gold).
lips: no 7 (attract).

what i like about this palette is how pleasantly surprised i am by it! although i was initially shaking/crying over the colours (which are way out of my comfort zone), they are surprisingly nice and wearable on the eyes, with great pigmentation. they're also easy to blend, and by no means chalky. additionally, each shade also has a gorgeous shimmery finish to it without looking glittery and tacky, which can sometimes be a bother with cheaper brands - and that is what impressed me the most.

so yeah, i really didn't feel as if i was wearing anything 'cheap' and preferred how the colours looked on the lid to how they appear in the palette. i'm especially a fan of the black shade, as it is matte and i've been meaning to get a shade like that for a while now.

however, there are a few points i must make. despite wearing primer on my eyes, the eyeshadow creased ever so slightly after a few hours. this usually doesn't happen with eyeshadows from other high-street brands which i love (such as rimmel and revlon), and so i was somewhat saddened by that. don't be put off by this if you're one of the lucky ones whose eyeshadow magically stays put without any primer though, because a) you are extremely lucky and b) this probably will do better on your lids than mine. i also feel that, as gorgeous as these shades truly are, they don't work for my complexion or my features in terms of wearing them all over the lid. BUT don't assume that i will be getting rid of this! instead, i think i could make these work by investing in a sealing gel and using them as liners instead which i think would look gorgeous for summer - especially with the gold and copper shades!

jillian michaels' 'ripped in 30'.

it's baaaaaack! another fitness plan, full of optimism and hope (right before i actually review it and present a mass of broken dreams). after much ooh-ing and aah-ing, i have decided to tackle jillian michael's 'ripped in 30' next. it's all in the name really - surely i don't have to explain what it aims to do! it has 4 levels and basically follows the same format as the 30 day shred.

i severely doubt that i will ever become some kind of bulked-up goddess but i'm happy to get more toned at the very least. it is recommended that you do it 5 or 6 times a week and the great part is that, unlike the shred, you only do each level 7 or 8 times rather than 10. for that reason i think that it will feel quite quick to complete, and so i'm pretty keen on doing it.

do i look like jillian right now? NO. even if i take my glasses off, i resemble a blur. it's still a big, lardy blur. so yeah, i've got a lot of work left to do. my biggest problem is eating the right food and increasing my net calorie intake (NOT by eating an entire bag of butterkist's toffee popcorn) - so maybe i should really try harder with that this time around.

now that the sun is shining, i'm also hoping to get outdoors more. i want to swim in the sunshine! :)