Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Review

I have wanted to try a gel liner for a really long time after hearing rave reviews about them. When my collection 2000 extreme 24 hour felt tip liner ran out (reviewed earlier) I decided what better timing! I decided to try out the Maybelline one first to see if I liked it rather than going for the more pricey options like Bobby Brown.

So far I have to say I really like this eyeliner! Its like painting your face its really fun and very easy to use.

Its a great pigmented colour which is very black. It slides on super easily and is long lasting. It is obviously a good thing that it is so long lasting, but one of its downfalls is that its quite difficult to get off, it literally won't budge! If you make an error (like I often do) it can be quite a pain trying to fix it, I usually use a cotton bud dipped in moisturiser and that does that trick.

Another thing that I'm not keen on is the brush. It was great to begin with but after a while it has gotten really dry and its hard to apply the liner with it now, so I would recommend washing it regularly to stop liner drying it up or buying a more expensive liner brush.

Overall a great product for the price and one I will definitely carry on using. It is the best eyeliner I have found for keeping a really strong colour all day and not budging or having to reapply. It is also really simple to use and a great product for beginners!

Heres some pictures of me wearing it...

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Cher Lloyd 'want u back' lilac lipstick

Usually I am not a huge fan of Cher Lloyd.. but I have to say recently her new song 'want you back' has been my new guilty pleasure and I have literally had it on repeat! I watched the video a while ago and fell in love with her lilac lipstick. After doing some research I discovered the blog of her make up artist for the video Adam Burrell.. and he shared with everyone that he used Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick! Of course after all this hunting I had to purchase ;). I have wanted to try Lime Crime for quite a while so I thought this would be a good way of seeing what the brand was like!

I really like this colour on, I only use a small amount but it turns into this gorgeous pinky lilac colour that really brings out green eyes. So far I haven't found it to be drying either which is also a plus!



Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation Update

Hey lovelies!

Sorry for the lack of blogging I have started a new PR internship this week so things have been a bit hectic! But never fear I am getting my act together and will be doing regular posts :) (I have never been great with organisation).

I thought I’d start with an update of how I’m getting on with the jemma kidd foundation. I’ve been wearing it since Friday now and all day at work so I feel I can give it an in depth review.

So far I am really enjoying it! Although the name states it is “light as air” it provides really good coverage which I was really surprised at. It is quite a runny liquid substance, yet it turns into amazing coverage that blends fantastically.

It has also been good compared to other foundations at controlling my oil... usually throughout the day I will have to blot my skin. But I haven’t done it once so far with jemma kidd which is really unusual for me! The only shine I am left with is on my nose which is unfortunately unbeatable!

 It is really lasting and doesn’t fade at all which is good.  I have been applying using a wet sponge (to stop the sponge absorbing all the foundation and to make it blend easier) and it has been working perfectly. You only need a small amount of the product to get good results.

So far it hasn’t broken me out at all either which is great because my skin is very sensitive and can get agitated easily.

The only thing I have to complain about is the packaging! It is in a squeezy bottle which is really messy and can be a little unhygienic so I make sure I clean the top regularly.

Overall a great foundation and definitely one I will be repurchasing! I have it in the shade 02 which has matched my skin really well.

Hope you guys enjoy.

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation

I am so excited! Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation came in the post today and I have been waiting to try it out for SO long!! I have heard amazing reviews about it and it is dedicated mainly towards oily skin types. I got it in the shade 02 (Light). It retails at £25 but I managed to nab it for £19.95 from beauty bay with free delivery! I will be giving an in depth review shortly, but from what I have used on my hand so far it looks promising...

Lots of love,
Charlotte x

Highlighters!

I am a big fan of highlighters. I think they can do wonders for your face. They can give you a really nice healthy dewy glow, and can also bring visual prominence to your best features. Over the years I have collected quite a few, and I thought I would share with you my favourites and why :).

Ooh La Lift Benefit, Dior Amber Diamond, High Beam Benefit, That Gal Benefit, Hollywood Glo Benefit, YSL Touche Eclat

Dior Amber Diamond, That Gal Benefit, Ooh La Lift Benefit, Hollywood Glo Benefit, High Beam Benefit, YSL Touch Eclat

Dior Amber Diamond

The most recent one I have purchased is the Dior highlighter in Amber Diamond. I really love this highlighter and it is very famous in the blogging word! It is great because it is a subtle shimmery power. I like it being a powder because often with liquid highlighters I find they take off my foundation underneath and I end up with a shimmery white patch and streakiness! With this powder you never have to worry, it sweeps over your cheekbones gorgeously without removing anything- only adding a beautiful healthy glow! It is a palette of shimmery colours which is nice to get a brush and blend together, it turns out to be quite a browny pink shimmer that is great with a tanned face. But if you wanted to you could use the individual colours. I often use the lightest colour as an all over shade for my eyes.

That Gal Benefit

This is described as being more of a primer that you use underneath your foundation to add a healthy glow. My skin is pretty oily already so I prefer to just dab it on my cheekbones or under my eyebrows to draw attention to my features. It’s nice because it’s a matte colour with no shimmer so it’s just a very subtle light pink that gives you a shine.

Ooh La Lift Benefit

This highlighter is usually used under the eyes. It’s great for lightening dark bags but for me it does not provide enough coverage. It has absolutely no shimmer and it is quite similar to That Gal, apart from that it is a lot lighter pink shade. It definitely works to give a bright eye appeal- I usually use it under the eyes with concealer when I need some extra help! It also has a cooling sensation which is good to reduce puffiness.

Hollywood Glo Benefit

I love this highlighter and have used it for a long time! It is pretty much the liquid form of Dior Amber Diamond. It is absolutely gorgeous with a tan. It gives a beautiful golden pinky sheen. The only thing I would say would be to not get too excited with it as it can show up badly in photos-  so use sparingly! I have gone out many a time looking like a disco ball.

High Beam Benefit

This is another highlighter that I have owned for a really long time. I really like it and it is a light shimmery pink. I find sometimes with this one that it can take my foundation off underneath so be careful not to apply it too heavily handed.

YSL Touche Eclat

This highlighter is great for using under the eyes. It provides me with just enough coverage to hide my bags and I really like it. I lusted after this product for a really long time and finally gave in and haven’t looked back since! I would definitely recommend.

Hope you guys enjoy the review!!

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

MAC Palette- Patina, Satin Taupe, Woodwinked

Top Left Woodwinked, Top Right Satin Taupe, Bottom Right Patina

Top Left Woodwinked, Top Right Satin Taupe, Bottom Right Patina

Top Left Woodwinked, Top Right Satin Taupe, Bottom Right Patina

First Woodwinked, Second Satin Taupe, Third Patina

Patina- This is my favourite eyeshadow from MAC (so far). It is a light brown with a golden shimmer. It blends really well, lasts a long time and I also like it because its not OVERLY shimmery, its very subtle. I really like using it for all over the lid, and then putting Satin Taupe in the crease- the colours work really well together. Especially for green eyes this is a must have combo! The plumb colour of the satin taupe makes your eyes POP and the golden colour from patina suits them perfectly.

Satin Taupe- As described above I also really like this colour, I haven’t tried it all over the lid yet.. I mainly use it as a crease colour but I really do like it. It is a brown colour with purple undertones and a silver shimmer. It compliments green eyes fantastically.

Woodwinked- This eyeshadow is a warm antique gold. I have to often be careful with this eyeshadow because if im too pale it can make me look ill and as if I have gammy eyes! Haha. I like using it in the middle of the eye or on my inner corner for a pop of colour! I only reach for it for all over my lid when I am a lot more tanned! I think it definitely suits a darker skin tone.

Hope you enjoy the review. I really want to try All That Glitters next! Do you guys have any MAC eyeshadows to recommend?

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

BaByliss 2285U Curling Hair Wand Review

I have been looking for a good curling wand for a really long time! I have GHD's but no matter how many tutorials I watch or how many times I attempt to get glorious curls... I just can't get it how I want it! I used to have a Tony and Guy curling iron which was a lot more expensive than the the BaByliss curling wand, but on my hair it was absolutely useless and I literally did not get one curl out of it.

After watching a Tanya Burr tutorial... in came to my life the BaByliss curling wand! This is by far the easiest wand i'v ever used. My strong suit isn't hair or styling.. and so for me to be able to create luscious waves and curls with this wand is really something! You simply just wrap your hair around the wand leave it a few seconds and TADA lovely wavy hair! It comes with a protective heat glove which is great because otherwise you burn you fingers so much.. if your lazy like I am you will have experienced this! I would say its more for creating a wavy look or small curls.. its not really for creating those big luscious all together waves. I think you need a bigger barrel for the hollywood type curls.. which I really want to try so I will carry on investigating. But I would definitely recommend this wand for a quick fix of curling your hair, it is so simple to use and has worked really well for me. I'll put a picture below of what my hair looks like after using it...

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Laura Mercier Crème Brûlée Honey Bath Review

I purchased this bubble bath quite a while ago and so far I have been really impressed with it. I first noticed it one day when I was walking past the Laura Mercier counter. I was immediately attracted to the beautiful glass jars and the honey wooden dippers. They looked so luxurious and elegant I had to have a sniff! I had a little nose at the whole collection including the Almond Coconut Milk, Crème Brûlée and Crème de Pistache (recently they have introduced fresh fig but I haven’t tried it yet).

My favourites were the Crème Brûlée and Crème de Pistache. I can’t remember why but for some reason I wasn’t keen on the scent of the almond coconut milk. Overall I decided on the Laura Mercier Crème Brûlée Honey Bath as I loved the idea of having honey scented water and I really wanted a wooden dipper! Haha.

This bubble bath produces mounds of bubbles and leaves your skin feeling really soft and supple. It doesn’t have an overly powering scent which I like. It just leaves you smelling faintly of honey which is great for me as I don’t like to be overpowered with smells! It makes bath time really relaxing and I would definitely recommend it as a luxury item as it has a pretty hefty price tag! You can get it in house of fraser for £31.00. It is a pretty large jar and I would say that it lasts a long time. I use it about once or twice a week (you don’t need a lot to create the gorgeous bubbles) and I have had it for at least 4 months now!

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Favourite current liquid eyeliner

I wear eyeliner pretty much every day! It is definitely a staple product for me and I love a good flick :). I've always found it quite tricky applying liquid eyeliner. Getting the flick right always annoys me and I am crap at using wands. I end up jolting and smudging it everywhere!

Recently I decided to go for something different and I bought collection 2000 extreme 24 hour felt tip liner. This eyeliner is great because instead of using a wand it is literally like applying a marker pen to your eye. The felt tip end makes it is so much easier to use and control. It now only takes me seconds to create smooth clean lines.

Another great thing about this eyeliner is that it really does last. Once you apply it, it will not budge! Its great to not have to worry about it smudging off or reapplying throughout the day.

Its available in superdrug and boots for £2.99 and comes in a variety of colours (I got it in black). I would definitely recommend as its great value for money and the easiest one so far i've found to use.

Once this one runs out I really want to try a gel liner. Do you guys have any to recommend? I've heard that bobby brown and maybelline are meant to be quite good!

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

p.s sorry for the crap quality.. the pictures will improve once my camera is fixed!

Walking in a winter wonderland...

We have had a bit of a funny winter here in the UK. For ages it was really hot and like an Indian summer it was crazy! But all of a sudden it turned into the arctic again and I was left with no coat or hat :(. Boooo!

My boyfriend got fed up of me asking to borrow his jacket and bought me a coat and hat as an early Christmas present. They are beautiful and I’ve wanted a cossack hat for ages so I was over the moon! The coat is really warm, elegant and has a lovely maroon inner lining and can be found in Topshop. The hat is sheepskin faux fur and is warm and snugly and can be found in John Lewis. The boy has good taste ;).

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

p.s I will upload more pictures soon but my camera is broken :(. Also if you were wondering this picture was taken in Center Parcs. I just loved the fairy lights they were so beautiful and Christmassy!

Pretty in Pink

One of my favourite Mac pink lipsticks is Pink Nouveau. This was the first mac lipstick I ever first purchased and I fell in love! It is a medium blue toned pink and is incredibly flattering. It’s quite perky and in your face definitely not a nude, but really nice for those occasions when your going out and want a pop of pink colour :). I think it looks great with black smudged smokey eyes for that bombshell look. It has amazing pigmentation but can be a bit drying so I suggest applying some trusty Vaseline first! I would recommend for all skintones and hair colours.

Do you guys have any other pink Mac lipsticks to suggest? Would love to hear from you.

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Moroccan Argan Oil Review

Recently I have been using this oil for my hair. As I am not a natural blonde I often have to get my hair dyed and roots done. As everyone knows this is not really good for your hair!

In order to keep it in tip top shape I have been using this oil and I have to say its AMAZING. My hair has become so so soft and it seems to have gotten thicker and be growing quicker (perhaps my imagination?!). Another thing that I have noticed is that it makes my hair so much easier to comb through after a shower. It stops so many hairs from being pulled out and I have stopped malting everywhere like my cat- always a bonus!

It is also meant to protect your hair from styling heat and UV damage which is great for me as I am constantly using straighteners and curling tongs.

I would really recommend this for coloured damaged hair and for people that just want some extra health and bounce in their hair! It makes it feel lovely and soft and has a really nice shiney healthy appeal.

In addition its also cheaper than the famous morroccan oil and can be found at boots ;) get in there ladies..

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel VS Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

My skin type is oily/normal and very sensitive meaning I break out easily.  I therefore have to be really careful with the products I choose to use on my face. For a long time now I have found that the best way to keep my skin in good condition is to commit to a regular cleansing routine.

One that I have really enjoyed and find that works well for me is the Dermalogica skin kit for normal/oily skin. It contains the special cleansing gel, multi-active toner, skin prep scrub and active moist moisturiser. In this review I am just going to concentrate on the Special Cleansing Gel as I will be comparing it with the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish.

The Special Cleansing Gel is described as a gentle foaming cleanser. It is great for individuals with sensitive skin (like mine) because it contains no soap, fragrance or colour. It is a product that aims to remove impurities without upsetting the skins natural moisture balance, and I definitely think it fits that description. It is best used on wet skin and with wet hands in order to turn the gel cleanser into a really good foamy product for the face. This is a cleanser that I have stuck with for a long time and I would say it is my HG. I have never found it to be too harsh, and it is amazing at taking all my makeup off in one go without causing any irritation at all!

Recently I decided to experiment and for Christmas I was fortunate enough to get the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanse and polish cleanser which I have wanted to try out for ages! It comes with a muslin cloth and is a two step process. Firstly you massage the cream which is quite rich and moisturising into your skin. Then step two involves the muslin cloth where you soak it in hot water, rinse, and then slowly polish off the cream. This cleanser is also a gentle product which includes natural active ingredients.

Advantages

It was a nice change to try the Cleanse and Polish because in comparison with the Special Cleansing Gel, it can be used on dry skin, so it feels quicker and as if you are missing a step (cheeky!).

I enjoyed using the muslin cloth because I liked the exfoliating sensation as it felt like I was really polishing my skin and giving it a deep cleanse.

I liked the smell of the product.  It smells really clean, herbal and fresh, in comparison to the Special Cleansing Gel which has no fragrance.

The Cleanse and Polish is quite rich and moisturising which is nice, especially in winter when skin is likely to be drier. It left my skin feeling soft, cleansed and moisturised in comparison to dermalogica which just leaves it feeling clean.  

Disadvantages

The negatives of the Cleanse and Polish I would say is that for me I found it wasn’t as good as the Special Cleansing Gel for removing all my makeup in one go, in particular my mascara and eyeliner.

The muslin cloth can be a bit irritating in the fact that you must wash it regularly, and I was worried about getting bacteria onto my face from wiping previous makeup off. In comparison with the Special Cleansing Gel where you use your hands and don’t have this problem.  

I also found that the Cleanse and Polish didn’t do as good a job as the Special Cleansing Gel for cleaning my face. I found that Dermalogica seemed to prevent more breakouts and kept my skin in better shape with regular use compared to Liz Earle.

Overall I think I will be sticking to my HG cleanser (special cleansing gel). I really have enjoyed the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish for a change, but it isn’t as good for me at getting done what I want. This is simply cleaning my face of all dirt and make up and preventing breakouts without irritating my skin! I think for me Liz Earle will be used every now and then to give my skin a change and a shock when it’s misbehaving!

I hope you found my review interesting and enjoyed! It took me a while to write as it’s my first one so bear with me :).

Feel free to comment!

Lots of love,

Charlotte x

A little bit about me...

Firstly I thought I would start off with a little bit of info about me and why I’ve decided to create this blog.

I’ve recently graduated from University after studying Psychology for three years and am making the horrible transition into work life! It’s so difficult trying to choose a career and path to go down. But a reoccurring passion of mine has always been beauty and makeup.

I am a terrible procrastinator and whenever I have had work due in or an important deadline coming up I have always found myself reading blogs and watching tutorials on youtube. I find it really relaxing and interesting and can literally spend hours doing it! Finally I decided that clearly this is a passion of mine and a route I want to try out (I am so indecisive!!).

This blog has been created in order to (hopefully) help improve my writing skills, share my PR interning experiences within the beauty industry, and review products I am loving/hating!

There are many bloggers that have inspired me to start blogging and below I shall list some of my favourites.

Tanya Burr (Pixi2woo)- This girl just comes across as the most genuine lovely person! This is the first blog I got really into and is definitely a favourite. She has inspired me to do my own reviews and different looks and is one of the blogs I have been following for a LONG time.

Pixiwoo- These sisters are incredible and well-known in the blogging/make up industry. I’m sure you all know a great deal about them already so I’ll keep it short and sweet and just say they are amazingly talented.

Vivianna Does Makeup- I only recently came across this blog but immediately I was fascinated. Partly due to the fact that I share a lot of similarities, from studying Psychology and trying to get into the PR world!

LLYMLRS- Great beauty and fashion sense. Regularly updated so always something to have a nose at!!

Fashion Toast- Beautiful fashion (way out of my budget), very arty and gorgeous photography.

Lots of love,
Charlotte x

Hello!

Welcome to the first official post of CHARLOTTEMMA.

After much oohing and ahhing over my favourite bloggers/youtubers I decided to finally take the plunge and make my own account! This blog will involve my beauty tips/PR/travels/life experiences.

I hope you will enjoy, feel free to comment/follow.

Lots of love,

Charlotte x