Back row: Charlotte Tilbury ~ Glastonberry, Kate Moss x Rimmel ~ 30, Charlotte Tilbury ~ Bond Girl

Front Row: L’Oreal Reds Collection ~ Eva, L’Oreal Reds Collection ~ Liya, Revlon Ultra HD ~ Poppy

If I’m not wearing nude lipstick then I’m either wearing a striking red or a deep berry, I’m far from a pink kinda gal. There’s just something very classic about a red lip which I can’t stay away from and something very effortlessly cool about a berry. A few weeks ago I collected all of my favourite nude lipsticks into post which can be seen here. Today I thought I would do the same thing, but this time with my favourite reds and berries.

Charlotte Tilbury ~ Glastonberry | As the name would suggest this beaut from Charlotte Tilbury is a deep-plum, berry shade. The lipstick itself is from Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution line making it super comfortable to wear despite being a matte and I love the play on words and a nod to Glastonbury.

Kate Moss x Rimmel ~ 30 | Similar in shade to Glastonberry with a slight red hue, however it isn’t matte. I don’t think I need to talk about how much I love the Kate Moss x Rimmel lipstick formula’s anymore than I already have in the past. They’re dreamy. I think that just about sums it up.

Charlotte Tilbury ~ Bond Girl | Another favourite from the Matte Revolution line. This shade is a great sophisticated berry if you don’t want to go all out grunge nor go for a red.

L’Oreal ~ Eva’s Red | This red shade is great for anyone with a warm skin tone like me. It’s a slightly muted, more terracotta red shade which compliments a warm skin tone rather than washing them out like some reds can.

L’Oreal ~ Liya’s Red | Another great red for warm skin tones but brighter than Eva’s Red. The formula of these lipsticks can become a bit drying over time but the staying power is fantastic considering the price tag.

Revlon Ultra HD ~ Poppy | What I like to call my ‘summer red’. Personally, I don’t like to wear this shade on its own because I find the formula to be a bit slippy, which with a bright colour causes a bit of a mess. However, I love it for adding more pout to my matte red lipsticks previously mentioned by adding a small amount to the middle of my lips.

What’re your favourite statement lipsticks?

~ Jade xx

Back row: Charlotte Tilbury ~ Penelope Pink, Charlotte Tilbury ~ Stoned Rose, Rimmel Moisture Renew ~ 700, Nude Delight

Front row: Kate Moss Nudes x Rimmel ~ 43, Kate Moss x Rimmel ~ 08, MAC Matte ~ Velvet Teddy

Of late I’ve been all about nude lipstick. A few years ago nude lipstick meant brushing your foundation or concealer over your lips to make your lips blend into the rest of your face, not a good look. Now though, the nude lip has had a revamp with shades of brown or pink to compliment your skin tone and create the perfect pout. Today I’ve gathered a few of my favourites both high end and from the highstreet.

Charlotte Tilbury ~ Penelope Pink | Penelope Pink is the perfect everyday nude for any skin tone. The K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick’s from Charlotte Tilbury are incredible comfortable to wear with a slight sheen but still last all day, they smell great too.

Charlotte Tilbury ~ Stoned Rose | Darker and more brown in tone than Penelope Pink Stoned Rose is my more ‘evening’ nude. You can definitely wear it during the day but for when I want something a bit different for evening without wearing a red Stoned Rose is my go-to.

Rimmel Moisture Renew ~ 700, Nude Delight | My ‘summer nude’. Much warmer than any other nude in my arsenal. Without a lipliner this can look slightly concealer-lips-esque unless you have a bit of a tan to counterbalance it. Full review of the Moisture Renew lipsticks here.

Kate Moss x Rimmel Nude Collection ~ 43 | Similar to the last nude but slightly darker making it easier to wear during the colder months as a tan isn’t needed. Full review of the Kate Moss x Rimmel lipsticks here.

Kate Moss x Rimmel ~ 08 | A more pink version of Stoned Rose, another great one for when you want something different from the traditional nude but not an outlandish colour.

MAC Matte ~ Velvet Teddy | The newest addition to my collection and my only matte nude. Long lasting but not overly drying, a brown-nude which perfectly suits warmer skin tones. 

What’re your favourite nude shades?

~ Jade xx

L'Oreal Infallible - Porcelain

L'Oreal True Match - 1N Ivory

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer - 1 Fair

NYX Wonder Stick - Light/Medium

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Luminous Light

Revolution Ultra Contour Palette

MAC Eyebrow Pencil - Accentuated

L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper - Light/Medium

BY TERRY Ombre Black Star - Misty Rock

OR  Bronze Moon

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat - Pillow Talk

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick - Very Victoria

OR/AND 

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish lipstick - 03

Maybelline Colorsensational Shine Gloss - 610 Naked Star

For my base I like to mix L'Oreal Infallible - review here - and True Match - review here -  as I like the coverage - and need the paleness - of the Infallible but like to add a bit more radiance with the True Match. My new favourite product is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder as it adds such an amazing glow to my fairly dry skin. The shade I have, Luminous Light, has a slight shimmer to it, which allows it to double up as a highlighter too. It doesn't cling to any dry patches and you can touch it up as many times as you like without looking cake-y. I wouldn't recommend this for those with oily skin, as much as it could add to the shine. I also wouldn't recommend to those with very pale skin as it can make my skin look a bit darker than it really is. I'm definitely going to look into trying a different shade as they're totally worth the more luxury price tag.

My eyebrows are definitely not my best friend. I’ve tried more eyebrow products than I can count and suffered many eyebrow disasters. However, I finally feel like I’ve settled with products that work for me. A full eyebrow products test and review post coming soon.

The BY TERRY Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow sticks are possibly my favourite products in my makeup collection. They are so easy to work with and look great with anything. I definitely want to purchase more soon and I highly recommend them to anyone. I really love the way the L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara makes my lashes look. It’s very black and dramatic without being clumpy, although it is quite hard to just apply a small amount for a more natural look.

Recently, I’ve really been enjoying trying and experimenting with new lip products and the matte lip look - although as you can see I still can't keep away from the gloss. My new favourite lip products at the moment are from Charlotte Tilbury. Jade and I had a naughty spree in the store in Covent Garden a few weeks ago on a trip to London, the staff were so lovely and helpful and I'm so pleased with what I came away with. Although these products are matte they are still very creamy and don't dry my lips out as much as other matte lipsticks - full review here. Also, the packaging is beautiful.

What are your go to products at the moment?

~Lucy xx

Makeup brushes are the tools of the face and you’re makeup is only as good as your brushes. That doesn’t mean you have to use the most expensive brushes in the world however some are definitely better than others. Personally, I like to use synthetic brushes. Not only because they’re cruelty free but they soak up less product, stay in shape better and decent ones are just as soft as natural hair brushes. Great brushes at an affordable price can be found from brands such as Sigma, Zoeva, Real Techniques and Crown. More expensive great brushes can be found from nearly every brand on the market but some notable ones being MAC, Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown. The most important thing though is to keep your brushes clean. Not only does this prevent bacteria building up but also the less product is on the brush already the more seamless your makeup application will be. Below is a few of my most used brushes.

Real Techniques Blush | My favourite brush for powder. Perfectly sized to get underneath the eyes but not so small it takes ages to powder the rest of your face.

Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek | The best face brush I’ve found for applying blusher or diffused contour and bronzer. For this reason, I have two of them.

Real Techniques Contour | To add some concentrated contour, particularly under the jawline or on the nose, this brush is the perfect size. It’s also great for blending under-eye concealer. This brush can only be found in the Core Collection however the other brushes in the Core Collection are also really great and make the purchase worth it.

Zoeva Luxe Soft Definer | I love this brush so much I have two. Perfect for blending but also adding diffused colour into the crease for subtle, everyday definition.

Zoeva Luxe Petite Crease | My favourite brush for adding that inner corner highlight that I can't go without. It’s  also the perfect size for adding controlled colour into the crease.

Zoeva Wing Liner | Perfect for emphasising a 60s cut crease, adding shadow onto the lower lash line or creating winged liner with gel or eyeshadow, see the full post here.

What’re your favourite brushes?

~ Jade xx

Lip liner was never something I used to be into. I would always skip past looking at lip liners, instead heading straight for the lipsticks thinking that they didn’t really make a difference, they weren’t really necessary. Whilst they certainly aren’t necessary, they really do make a difference, something I discovered fairly recently. My love affair with lip liner, more specifically the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liners came one time when Lucy and me were getting ready for a night out and she made me try hers. I would say it was love at first sight if I believed in that sort of thing.

The Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liners stick around for a long while, are highly pigmented but are still soft and moveable. They also come in a retractable pencil so there isn’t need for a sharpener which makes them an A+ in my book. My favourite shades are East End Snob which I love to wear underneath the Kate Moss x Rimmel Lipsticks in 03 and 08 - and is also a great dupe for Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Pillow Talk - Addiction which is also great underneath 03 but I also love underneath the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight, and Obsession which is great underneath Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bond Girl. These liners are also a steal at just £3.99, I just wish there were more shades.

My favourite thing about lip liners though, besides making your lipstick last a lot longer and be more pigmented, is that you can perfect and ‘cheat’ your lips slightly. Now, personally I’m not into the whole Kylie Jenner, make your lips three sizes bigger thing - if you are then kudos to you, but it isn’t more me - however I do like to balance my lips out slightly as my bottom lip is slightly more full than my top lip and lip liner is the easiest way to do this. You can also exaggerate your cupids bow with lip liner or cancel it out if you think yours is too pronounced. Really, lip liner is a great tool to have in your arsenal and a weapon every girl should keep up their sleeve.

What’re your favourite lip liners?

~ Jade xx

The smell of biscuits is definitely on the horizon. With summer being in full swing many of us will be wanting that glowing bronze goddess tan and instead of sitting in the sun for hours on end to achieve a natural tan - as this is incredibly damaging to our skin, always wear suncream - will want to fake it. There’s a few different ways to do this and a few paramount steps to take in order to achieve the best, natural looking, fake tan you can so here are my top tips.

Exfoliate | To prevent tan clinging to any dry skin be sure to exfoliate everywhere you’ll be tanning, legs, arms, chest, the lot. Pay special attention to places like the knees, elbows and ankles as tan tends to especially gather in these areas. Great body scrubs out there include Soap & Glory Scrub ‘Em And Leave ‘Em & The Breakfast Scrub and the Sanctuary Salt Scrub is a great exfoliating and moisturising scrub too.

Moisturise | Moisturising is paramount to achieving a smooth, streak free tan. Not only is moisturising your skin generally good for smoothing everything out and looking after your limbs it will prevent any unwanted patchy tan. I like to use an after sun rather than an actual body moisturiser as they tend to be lighter in formula so sink into the skin faster but still give heavy hydration. Clarins After Sun Gel Ultra-Soothing is a lovely after sun as is the Garnier After Sun, for a more affordable option.

Barrier | The step a lot of people forget is to barrier off places that don’t need tan or tan easily gathers. If you’re using an instant tan this step can be skipped but if you’re using a fake tan that will be sticking around for at least a week this step is essential. To do this use Vaseline - petroleum jelly - and apply to the ankles, heels, knees - front and back -, elbows - front and back -, collar bones, wrists, under arms and around your hair line.

Tan | To apply fake tan always use a mitt. Whether its instant tan, a mouse, lotion, whatever your preferred tan is always, always, always use a mitt. Using a mitt will mean the tan is easily worked into the skin, is streak free and evenly applied but also that your hands aren’t left stained a lovely shade of orange. Apply a little at a time instead of going in with a massive dollop and not be able to blend it in. Work in sections so the tan doesn’t start drying before you’ve finished working it in and only use the excess left on the mitt to brush over the tops of your hands and feet. Great self-tanners include the St Tropez Bronzing Mouse, the St Tropez Express Tan Mousse and Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe. Great instant tanners include the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan, the Fake Bake Bronzer Instant Tan Lotion and the Clarins Instant Smoothing Self Tan for the face. The Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body is a great alternative for those of use who are scared of fake tan but still want the bronzed goddess look or add even more shimmer on top of your tan.

Do you have any tanning tips?

~ Jade xx

I love matte lipstick, I think by now you’ll all know this. It lasts a long time and is a lot less fuss to apply than other formulas. Recently, I got my hands on two of the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks in the shades Glastonberry* & Bond Girl* and let me just say, these lipsticks are game changers.

Glastonberry is a beautiful blackcurrant hue which I adore. It’s great for the colder months but also by anyone who wants to pack a punch. It’s eye grabbing, one of my favourite shades to wear - I also love the play on words of Glastonbury. Bond Girl is a dark neutral tone, very Kylie Jenner-esque. This is a very sophisticated shade and if you’re just popping out but have minimal makeup on a swipe of this instantly creates a pulled together look.

The pigmentation of these lipsticks is amazing. One swipe is enough to create a bold lip without having to layer the product - although you can dab the colour for a lighter effect. The packing is divine - I don’t think we need to delve into it too much, it’s rose gold after all. The best thing about these lipsticks though is the formulation. Yes they are matte, but they aren’t the kind of matte that drys out your lips or makes them look dull and flat. These are enriched with Orchid extract to hydrate and protect the lips, 3D pigments which prevent your lips looking flat but rather more full and triglycerides to create a long lasting colour. The shape of the bullet is also very helpful, at first I was put off as I thought it would make application hard but intact it makes it a lot easier. The straight edges make it easy to trace around the edges of the lips before filling it in with colour rather than having to use a lip pencil or a lip brush. They are slightly pricey at £23 a piece but I would say they’re worth every penny.

Have you joined the Matte Revolution?

~ Jade xx

I realised the other day that I hadn’t done a current favourites post in over four months and as these are one of my favourite posts to write I thought I’d better rectify the situation.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick - Bond Girl* | I’m going to write a full review of this beauty soon but it’s become my go-to lipstick in recent weeks. A matte formula that doesn’t dry out your lips or feel uncomfortable but still lasts? & don't even get me started on the packaging. It’s a winner in my book.

Barry M Eyeshadow Pencil - Brown Black | Perfect for the days when you can’t be fussed with eyeshadow but you want something. Just smudge it on the lid and blend out with either your finger or a brush for a fuss free, five minute makeup job. It doesn’t crease either.

Alexa Chung - It | Alexa Chung is one of my favourite humans in the public eye. Her style and makeup is something I strive to replicate and her brazen faced attitude is to be admired. Her book ‘It’ is a quick read - it took me about three hours with tea breaks in-between - and is filled with talk about her style inspiration, fashion mishaps, boys and breakups with photos and sketches breaking up the pages.

Jo Malone - Peony & Blush Suede* | Peony & Blush Suede is the newest edition to my collection  of Jo Malone colognes which I’ve previously written about my love for. Peony & Blush Suede isn’t a scent I would usually go for but I love it. It’s a floral scent - which usually I favour the spicy and woody scents - with a fruity top note of apple and heart notes of honey and rose to add to the Peony. It lasts all day on the skin and smells even better the longer you wear it.

What are your current favourites?

~ Jade xx