The New Browns

As last month was my birthday month, I realised that I had gathered a new, small collection of make up. Weirdly, all products fell into the brown toned category and hence the inspiration for today's post. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon eyeshadow pencils are a great, no fuss option when it comes to eyeshadow: super creamy, super pigmented no brush, just apply and done. Who needs to blend two or three eyeshadows when these do the job in one go. My new addition is the shade Bronze Garnet - a very rich, golden brown. I find this perfect for sweeping on my bottom lash line for a smokier look. 

I suppose this month could also have been titled the Chanel month. After absolutely loving my Illusion D'ombre in the shad Emmerville for the past year I thought it was time to invest in another colour - yes, I actually treated myself to this one! This is the colour Mirage: a subtle brown in which one coat = great every day brown whilst also being a great base for a night out smokey brown. These eyeshadows (as you will have seen from my last post) are some of the best products in my makeup stash. A powder to cream eyeshadow which are just ridiculously easy to apply. 

After watching Vivianna's thoughts towards the Chanel long lasting eyeliner in Érable there was no way it wasn't going to be on my wish list. I've been on the hunt for a new bronze-toned-brown ever since Rimmel discontinued my all time favourite - boo Rimmel! Seeing as this is indeed an expensive replacement, it might not be able to be as everyday used as my Rimmel favourite. However, this does not mean that I do not love it. I have never tried a Chanel eyeliner before and so far Im really impressed, particularly with its creamy formula - don't you just hate it when you have a scratchy eye pencil and it hurts to apply?! That won't happen with these ones!

I wonder which ones will make the monthly favourites post...

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Cream Eyeshadows

I've lost count of the amount of times I've mentioned on these pages that I'm an 'oily eyelid gal.' Product just does not like to stay on my eyelids; it creases, it smudges and ultimately ends up in a melted mush. Attractive, I know. However, the years of this holding this wonderful trait have led to a lot of testing. Throughout my journey I have discovered that a friend of my mine comes in the form of the cream eyeshadow. 

My favourite is the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise I have the shade Norma Jean. It is so creamy that it almost feel wet. But I find that it is this texture that helps to make it stay for a super long time whilst also being super pigmented. Whilst I absolutely adore this product, it doesn't sit in my everyday makeup bag because of its pigmentation. 

That is where the Chanel Illusion D'ombre come in. A weird formula, they sit in the tub like a powder but apply as a cream but this makes them so easy to use: no blending just apply. In terms of wearability they do. not. budge. My old and trusted favourite is the shade Emmerville: a lovely, everyday peachy gold which is definitely a cream version of MAC All that Glitters. I have recently purchased the shade Mirage - a light brown colour that I'm hoping will be my smokey eyes in one product. They come with a little brush which is perfect for packing the product on. 

I bought the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear cream eyeshadow in Beach Bronze after watching a Pixi Woo tutorial. It is a gorgeous, sparkly rich brown shade. I find this the trickiest of the lot to use - because it is in quite a small brush I need a small brush and then find it tricky to blend out. I think I need more practice with using this shade as I find that it looks quite heavy on me. 

Unfortunately my Estee Lauder Pure Colour Stay on Shadow Paint in Chained has dried out a bit now. However, it was definitely a firm favourite a few years back for my 'nights out' makeup. Mainly because it just didn't budge. I will definite re-visit this range.

The next on my list to try is Mac Cream Pot in Rubenesque. What are your favourites?

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My Charlotte Tilbury Newbies

After finishing University my mum treated me to some Charlotte Tilbury goodies. Whilst I may still be keeping them in their original packaging, an unusual habit of me, they have had some excessive use the past few weeks.

First was the Colour Chameleon Eye-shadow Pencil in the shade Champagne Diamonds. I love an eyeshadow pencil stick and this one is super creamy, making it very easy to apply: a big thumbs up in the book of eyeshadow pencils! The only thing I didn't realise when I swatched this in Selfridges was how glittery this shade is. It is definitely more of an evening buddy. 

My second choice was the Eyes to Mesmerise Long-Lasting Easy Colour in the shade Norma Jean. Any eye-makeup item with the 'easy' in its name is always going to attract my attention. As readers will know, I am a hoarder of gold shadows so this light-golden shade was a winner for me.

The texture is so creamy that is is almost wet-like, making it super pigmented (the photo doesn't do it justice.) I have tried a variety of cream eyeshadows in the past and I can honestly say the Charlotte Tilbury formula is the best I've met so far. 

In fact, I have not stopped wearing this the past few weeks. It has been a staple for the special occasions I've had recently such as my graduation and ball. It doesn't budge at all, so it has made a great base for a smokey eye or a firm, all over shadow. I definitely want to pick up a golden brown colour.

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What I Wore Autumn Evening Edition #6

For a girl who constantly tells you how much she loves staying in, you'll be surprised to hear that I've been socialising the past four Fridays. Crazy, I know. The best part of that for me has to have been the makeup procedure!!

For my birthday two of my beautiful friends got me my first Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in Uptown Girl - I'm eternally grateful for that present. I have been loving using this. The little niche I have found though, with help from this HelloOctober video, is applying the primer shade with my finger all over the lid. For a little Autumnal change I have then gone in with Clinique Black Honey Eyeshadow to create a "reddy-browny"smokey look. 

I have also finally mastered how to use the Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 brow pencil. At first I found it so fiddly and felt like I had a water colour brush in my hand! Now, with adopting some graceful skills, I am loving this pencil to create a natural filled in brow look. Obviously a big coating of Maybelline The Falsies to widen out those eyelashes!

On the cheeks is Nars Blush in Sin. This is just such a perfect plum, shimmer blush. I even gave my mother it and she now uses it every day!

Finally the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Glam Plum Fulham (isn't the name so cool!) has been a monthly favourite. The formula is as it says, seriously moisturising and creamy, and the colour is the perfect bam of plum. 

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The Brow Diaries

A large chunk of my life has been dedicated to maintaing my brows. Sad but true. I've had some waxing incidents and some mono-brow horrors, but most importantly, I've never over plucked. My brow obsession led me last year to having a picture of the ultimate Delevigne brow pinned on my uni bedroom wall...but perhaps I shouldn't have admitted that. Anyhow, the point I'm getting at is I've got quiet a few products in my makeup bag dedicated to getting these brows in grooming perfection.

A trusty boy, and the first member to begin the collection was Benefit Brow Zings. This is the ultimate handy brow tool, with wax one side a powder the other, and some mini brushes and tweezers so your brows can be looked after on the go. I now prefer to powder through (obviously with the brow brush of Mac 266) and then apply the wax just a little at the front.

My favourite, or everyday go to I should say, is the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. With a spooley one end and a lovely creamy wax pencil the other this one is so quick and easy to use. I always get a thick, bold brow with this one. Recently however, my friends bought me the Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift Pencil and I have to say not only is the colour the perfect match to my brows but it creates an equal if not better brow than the Hourglass...expect big things from this!

The final pencil comes in the shame of Soap and Glory's 2-in-1 Archery Brown Pencil. This is a much smaller pencil and at the moment takes a bit more time for me to use this so I can my brows nice and even and not too scary. However, for the price this is seriously a firm contender with the luxury items of my collection.

And last, but not least, is my Benefit gimme Brow. I blooming love this and thing Benefit should be awarded a brow crown for its creating. Just a simple little mascara like wand that you sweep through the brows to shape and colour. I like to apply this on top on my Hourglass to keep the place nice in shape or on a more natural makeup day when I don't want too much colour in my brows. 

Its a long story when it comes to brows I'm afraid. What are your brow go to's?

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