The Contouring Edit | Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit & Maybelline Fit Me

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Contouring is a step we all take to make our cheeks more chiseled and our noses more straight. It’s a step I prioritise in my makeup routine - along with my brows - and one I hate to skip. 

For my contour in the past I have raved about the Sleek Face Form Kit in ‘light’ - review here - which I still love, however recently something new has entered the ring, the Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit. This new little gem from the high street contains a contour shade, a bronzer and highlight shade. The contour shade is the best high street contour colour I’ve tried - even better than the Sleek version - as its very ashy and pigmented which is the perfect combination to create realistic contour as most contour shades from the high street are too warm toned which doesn’t create a shadow but rather a brown stripe across your cheek - not a good look. The bronzer is pigmented and completely matte which is great to add warmth to the face without it looking like mud, which bronzers with shimmer can do. The highlight shade is great for highlighting under the eyes because it is also matte. It has been my first time using a matte highlighter and I can say I prefer it to shimmer ones. I often find that shimmer highlighters look too overdone like you’ve had a fight with a fairy or touched cheeks with a Kardashian whereas a matte highlight still brings light to places you want to bring forward without everything being too reflective. These powders aren't the mist blendable though so it's better to start light and add more rather than going straight in with a lot of product and not being about to blend it out.

Monthly favourites | February

colour burst


I wanted something new to apply my powder as the Superdrug's own brand powder brush I have been using isn’t very soft and seemed to apply too much product, making my face look a bit cakey - also I found it smelled rather unpleasant. I had heard good things about the eco tools brushes so I picked this one up in boots LINK and have fallen in love. It is unbelievably soft, applies product evenly and softly and gives great control. I like to use this for all face products as it just works really well and I would definitely recommend it. 



As the weather is slowly but surely becoming slightly sunnier - yay!  - I have been adding some more glow to my face. I have been liking the highlighter in the sleek face form kit - full review here - as it is not too in your face and obvious but adds a nice shimmer when caught in the light.



Jade kindly bought me my first MAC eye shadow for Christmas and I have been loving it. Satin taupe is the perfect shade as it has just the right amount of shimmer. It is also perfect for both everyday and a more smokey evening look. It is lovely to blend - as all MAC eye shadows are - need I say any more?




When I bought this eyeliner I was intrigued by the angled top. I have found the tip makes it very easy to apply this eyeliner and do small wings - as I don’t venture too far in to the cat eyed look unlike Jade. It's not joking when it says it's waterproof as I have to use an eye makeup remover to remove all of it at night as my cleanser doesn't cut it. It also doesn’t fade or smudge all day.


 


I have a love hate relationship with this mascara but I thought that I'd mention it anyway. I love the way it makes my lashes look, it really gives them both volume and length. However, I find this mascara smudges above my eyes after about an hour after applying it and it is rather frustrating. It is also a bit of a pain to get off. Other than that, I love it. 




These new lacquer balms have been quite hyped over for the past couple of months and I completely agree with the excitement over them. I have been loving wearing this everyday pink with a slight but not too overpowering shimmer. It gives a gorgeous shine to your lips, is so easy to apply - even on the bus to college - and will be perfect for spring and summer - full review here. 



What are you february favourites?

~ Lucy xx

Current favourites | #3

amber & lavender


Happy new year everyone! For the first post of the year I thought I'd do another instalment of 'my current favourites' - previous posts can be seen here and here - of the few new favourites I've discovered over the past couple of months.

Firstly, the Jo Malone fragrance in Amber & Lavender*. I don’t think I’ve ever used a perfume that smells so good or lasts so long. This beauty was waiting for me under the christmas tree this year - thank you Santa - and I haven’t stopped wearing it since. The 30ml bottle is £37 and the much larger 100ml bottle is £78, expensive but so worth it.

I’ve had a love hate relationship with this Super Liner eyeliner from L’oreal since I bought it around sixth months ago. However, I’ve discovered it makes it really easy to do my everyday winged liner and it doesn’t smudge. I originally didn’t like it because I didn’t feel as though it was black enough and when you used it the fluid ran out quickly, but if you shake it well before use it’s absolutely fine. The super liner also doesn’t break the bank - a definite bonus.

I’m a fan of the Maybelline colour tattoos so when Bourjois came out with their own cream like eyeshadow formulas - Colour Edition 24hr - I was intrigued. At first I was apprehensive for they’re a cream to powder formulation however they last a really long time - not quite the twenty four hours like stated, though. Colour pay-off is pretty great to, I have the colour Petale de Glace which is like a lighter version of ‘satin taupe’ by MAC. I’m not overly impressed with the rest of the colours however and I feel that the colour range is what really lets this collection down. 

After using Lucy’s Sleek Face Form palette a few times and falling in love I decided I had to get my own. Lucy’s review of this beautiful palette can be seen here.

I’m a big fan of volumised hair and am no stranger to backcomb. However, backcombing my already damaged hair with a comb isn’t the best thing for it. Enter the L’oreal studio line volume super sizing spray. This stuff is basically backcomb in a bottle. You spray it at the roots of the hair and scrunch until the desired amount of volume has been achieved. It doesn’t make your hair feel sticky at the roots like others I have tried and its very affordable - but word to the wise, don’t use this if there’s a possibility of being rained on as water mixed with stuff creates a paste and its not easy to get out.



What are your current favourites?

~ Jade xx

Photography information

Canon 600D with 18-55mm lens, Canon 24mm lens or Sigma 70-300mm lens. Canon EOS M with 18-55mm lens or Canon 24mm lens. Any edited photos are edited using Photoshop CS6. Picture source is given for any photo used that is not directly ours.