Beauty Talk: Charlotte Tilbury Collection Part 1

It goes a little like this: when a package of Charlotte Tilbury landed on my doorstep jam-packed with goodies from her new collection, I gasped, screamed in excitement and have pretty much been mouthing 'ME?' under my breath ever since. That and slapping it on my face of course.

After giving both the Instant Look in a Palette and the Quick 'n Easy Kit a full rundown over the last month, it was high time I shared the love...

Instant Look in a Palette - Seductive Beauty 

Next in the palette pipeline was a seductive, smokey version of the Instant Look in a Palette. Housed in a sleek burgundy compact, the perfect size for traveling or handbag stashing for desk to dinner plans, it contains 3 shadows, 2 blushes, a bronzer and a highlighter.

When it comes to all-in-one palettes, I've been left feeling pretty irked in the past. The quality is never up to par and there is always a dud shade that makes your eyes roll back so far into your head, you question yourself, your life and the brand.

On price alone, this palette is a savvy little way to get in on the Charlotte Tilbury action - and just look at the the bronzer, blushes and highlight - THIS is what hit the excitement levels for me.

Firstly the bronzer, what a dream. More pigmented than the likes of my Nars Laguna, it's a buttery soft matte powder that gives a good boost of tan, which looks natural and pretty effortless. No muddy streaks to report here thank you.

It's worth noting that surprisingly Tilbury doesn't have a run of the mill bronzer in her wider collection, but if she were to launch the palette bronzer in her collection, I would snap it up in an instant. That's a testament to how freaking impressed I was.

The highlighter I'm pleased to report is very similar to the iconic shade in her Filmstar Bronze & Glow kit, although this is slightly peachier in shade. The formula is so light without being stark (looking at you Becca), I take a large fluffy shadow brush and sweep it across the top of my cheekbones for a subtle day-time appropriate glow.

The blush shades pack a delightful punch, one to swish and one to add a pop. They both revived my lacklustre skin with an instant zing and refresh. Full marks from me.

Finally onto the shadows - again very buttery soft (similar to the likes of Urban Decay) and easy to blend. It is worth noting however that they are cool toned shades, which is great if thats your thing but as I prefer to warmer tones, I dotted the champagne shade in my inner corner for a poppin' glow.

Buy it: if you want a handy blush, bronzer and highlighter combo palette - perfect for everyday or travelling. This will be tucked away in my make-up bag on all my adventures this year. 

Quick 'n Easy kit - Red Carpet Party 

Before we dash onto how much this red lipstick is an absolute beauty - can we appreciate a) the hella savvy price point of the kits b) the snazzy little bag that answers all my travel dreams.

Tucked inside were all the essentials for a Red Carpet Party. And whilst I may not receive many er invites for parties of such nature, I pretty much swooned hard over the red lip duo. Having sussed out this handy tutorial on the Tilbury website, I had a good go at recreating the look.

Wonderglow highlighter, I'm on the fence here. Described as a highlighter to create that 'soft focus look' - I'mma fess up and say I found it to be glittery if worn under foundation. Preferring my pores not to sparkle, I choose to pat it on after my makeup application for a softer, more contained glow.

The Rock 'n Kohl liner in Barbarella Brown is everything a kohl pencil should be. A softer alternative to a black liner, this is super easy to apply (it glides like a gel), smudges if preferred or drawn neatly to create a flick. Nicely done CT.

A massive fan of the Tilbury Lip Cheat pencils already, this was no exception. Effortless to apply when wearing a bright lip, they are a godsend at keeping everything in place and um basically it's like colouring in the lines. Worn with or without the lipstick, this shade Kiss 'N Tell was soft enough to line the entire lip and lasted a good chunk of the day.

Paired with the Matte Revelation lippie in Red Carpet Red, I am smitten. You can see me rocking the shade here and loving life. It's the easiest shade of red I have in my collection, wearable without looking too try hard. Also, notice the shape of the lipstick? Makes application a dream if you are monstrously cack-handed like I am. WINNER!

Buy it: if you wanna give a range of Charlotte Tilbury items a whirl - especially if it's pay day and you fancy / deserve a treat.

Sorry not sorry if you're feeling enabled but I'm a fan girl through and though. Stay tuned this week as I will be sharing some of my other Charlotte Tilbury faves - turns out I actually have enough bits to be deemed a collection. 

Now excuse me, I'm off to campaign to get the bronzer made into a stand alone product - pretty please?

Beauty Talk: Sephora Hauling

I went to Sephora and I hauled, hard.

Last month many of you know that I went to the big US of A and I took a road trip along the east coast. It somehow became my mission to visit as many Sephora stores (as you do, obvs) and although I kinda lost count along the way, it was however a mission accomplished.

Although I have a beauty collection that is pretty, er, bigger than yo average - I rarely buy beauty bits throughout the year. I'm quite tame when it comes to new launches and it takes me forever to buy into any hype. So let's just say shit got spendy.

I've been pretty lucky to shop the hell outta Sephora over the past few years, so this year I decided to reign it in. I only bought a) pieces that were deffo cheaper than home b) marvel at the minis c) buy brands that aren't easy to buy in the UK. 

Sephora Avocado Face Mask 

I knew that from the moment my jet-lagged self stepped off the plane, this would be a saviour. I bought a couple mainly for the fun factor and I was pretty impressed for two reasons: one it made my skin super soft and the chilled sheet mask really soothed my skin, two I did not have to slave away washing anything off my skin after. Win win.

Sephora Brow Razor Set

Possibly the most underrated product the Sephora own line has to offer. Oh yeah, I went that far. Before you pull that freaked out look at the very thought of shaving your brows - gimme a sec ok? This tiny razor is for touch ups. For that in-between awkward regrowth, where you can't be bothered to wait for your next brow appointment or sit down for a plucking sesh. 

It's completely fool proof, I've never drawn blood or had a freak accident. Quite frankly it's a dream when you have a really fair hairs that you want to remove quickly. Don't knock it till you've tried it, trust me.

Anastasia Brow Whizz 

My holy grail brow product. I simply needed a replacement and it was a couple of bucks cheaper stateside. Available at Cult Beauty here.

Nars Creamy Concealer 

A mini Nars concealer in the aisle of miniature doom? I was sold. And since using it, its become a regular in my every day face.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer 

I totally picked this up on a whim just because... see above.

Invisbobble 

An invisible hair bobble that looks a bit strange, but leaves your hair kink-less. I totally back the hype people. 

Also available at Feel Unique here.

drybar 

I have a full blown love affair with drybar. This may be because I can't get it here at home and that makes it all kinds of special - or perhaps because they really are the bees knees and they make your hair smell real good. A firm fan of the Volumizing spray, I needed more bits for my stash. 

Since I lobbed off most my hair (sob), I've ventured into the realms of texturing sprays. Bumble and Bumble dryspun never lets me down, but I was keen to branch out. 

I had already given a mini of the Triple Sec knocking around from last year so I doubled up my stash and I've been pretty impressed. Although dry shampoos make me gag (that feeling in your hair, grim), I've been spraying both the Triple Sec and Mr Incredible to my do' and not focusing on the roots, and it's definitely been helping me achieve the Pinterest look. AKA soft waves, not through a bush backwards. Full review coming soon.

The drybar brush? Better than my tangle teezer, uh huh.

Becca Glow On The Glow

Becca is brand that had long been on my radar and ever since I discovered the cream highlighter Opal, I've been smitten. I picked up this cute little travel set (that's now also available at Cult Beauty) and both the pressed powder highlight and the on the spot cream highlighter really give you that lit from within glow, you know, that dreamy kind that has you shimmering without the dreaded tack sparkle. 

Bobbi Brown Liner Set

By now you've guessed I'm a sucker for a mini, coupled with the fact that the Bobbi Brown gel liners are a staple in my collection, I snapped this beauty up QUICK. It's incredibly tiny (and probably pointless), but it makes me so happy. 

Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Carina / Paprika Red

My first foray into the non brow territory of Anastasia - and I dig it. Whichever brand of liquid lipstick, my lips are forever as dry as the Sahara dessert and I need gazillion cotton buds to do serious clean up but these bright shades hooked me line and sinker. The hot pink Carina is a shade that makes my whole day brighter, not just my gob. It's an easy way to wear pink without being so daunting. Paprika Red is probably only a shade I can style out when I am super tan, but come summer this bad boy will become a staple. 

Stila Liquid Lipstick in Bellissima

Although I gravitate to bright lips, I cannot deny a beautiful nude. Bellissimia is everything I would look for in a gloss or creamy lipstick - a liquid lipstick - not so much. With a light layer, I can make it work with a balm on top, even now I want to slather it on and hope it's not matte. I just can't get my head around the gross Kylie Jenner matte lips thing that's trending right now. Ick. 

Best of Becca Kit

Technically I snapped up this little gem from Ulta  - but right now it's also available on Cult Beauty, go go go!

One of my favourite buys stateside, this swish little kit has a full size Priming Potion (I can't even..), Shimmering Skin Perfector (a cult buy, seriously), Eye Brightening Corrector (highly underrated) and a mini blush in Snap Dragon, which is an all around crowd pleaser. Do I need to say any more? 

There we have it. This is only a snippet of my American hauling as my travel debit card got pretty spendy in Mac and Duty Free, watch this space!

Beauty Talk: How to wear a bright lip

A true style statement that never fails to pack a punch - a bright 'n bold lipstick is an instant beauty pick me up and proven way (please quote me on this) to feel shit hot. Rocking a colour poppin' lip is however not for the faint hearted, and only last year my bare-lipped self shied away from anything too daring. Fast forward to now and I have managed to haul an impressive collection (567597659 to be precise) of lipsticks in my make-up stash.

Fancy a flirt with a slick of fiery red or watermelon pink, but clueless of where to start or worried that the entire world will totally know you're bluffing and think you're a fraud? I get it. Here are my tried and tested, no where near expert, tips you might find useful:



My first bright lipstick back in the day was Mac Chatterbox (warning: never try this horrendous shade) as soon as I applied it, it just looked.. really weird. My mirror reflection looked strange.

And then it dawned on me - duh - that I wasn't used to seeing that much colour on my face. It will take you couple of wears to get over this initial reaction and then bam! you'll wonder why you've wasted so much precious lipstick wearing time.

Experiment with tones and shades. How? Rock up to a counter and let the assistants do their thing. Make your way on down to Selfridges beauty haul and book in with a Mac or Nars artist and let them work their magic. Or heck, just tell them to apply the shades that you want to try.

Can't be arsed? I understand. Check out Topshop's super affordable lipstick range and do your own thing. Treat yourself come pay day and suss out what shades truly suit your complexion and get a feel for what it looks like on your actual mug. Not only are the Topshop lippies cracking formulas, they also a pretty impressive shade range that will only set you back eight quid a pop - try Watermelon.



Clock those nifty Nars mini lip pencil sets over Christmas? An absolute winner of trying shades that you may never have been drawn to but suddenly discover really are the ultimate lip colour you never knew existed.

Find a formula that works for you. If glossy is way too in your face and matte makes your lips quiver in fear, look for a a satin or creamy finish that will become your new BFF.

Honestly, it's legit all down to trial and error - and what's the worst that can happen? Simply wipe it off and move on.

Saving it for an 'occasion'? Forget it. Life is way too short to bypass a beautiful lipstick. Seriously. Rock that hot lip for a pint down the pub, a dash around the supermarket or should you feel daring, your 9-5. Why the heck not, eh?

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So what are you waiting for? Go forth and hunt out those juicy corals, peachy pinks and orangey red hues and come summer, you'll be a lipstick pro.

Beauty Talk: Pedicures at Cheeky Parlour

It's official - the holiday countdown has begun. And what better way to wind down and ignore the perils of packing than an indulgence pre-holiday pamper? Gathering my best gal pal Lily, we made a beeline for the Cheeky Parlour in Holborn to give their Toe Shine Pedi a whirl. 

Having been on my radar for quite some time - and yet never having an excuse to pop on by - Cheeky is the sister salon of the infamous Cowshed. Serving up a beauty menu of express beauty treatments (with a fully stocked bar) at seriously affordable prices, this one-stop-beauty-shop is certainly one to add to your little black book.

Priced at a snappy £26, it included the full works - file and shape, cuticle work, dead skin blitzing, exfoliation, moisturising and a lick of paint of your choosing. Settled in their sleek wooden thrones with my juicy coral varnish at the ready, my beautician quite simply worked her magic and left me with freshly painted glossy toes and feeling light as a feather.

Quite the indulgent treat, this beauty fix is an incredible offer for the super affordable rate. I honestly couldn't rate the nail girls more highly, their attention to detail from the moment they preened my god awful feet to the snazzy foot dryers next to a stack of the latest glossies - not a single trick has been missed, in fact I predict a pedi addiction on the horizon. 

With a salon in both Shoreditch and Holborn, prices start from £14 for a file and paint - whaddya waiting for?

Weekly Wants: Make-Up Bags

You know you have problems when you unearth a Mulberry pouch (much to your delight of course) then you start to a) wonder whether you have been struck by temporary memory loss b) congratulate yourself on how ballsy you were to blow your student loan on such frivolous purchases or c) admit you have quite the problem with acquiring pretty make-up bags - despite the fact you never use them. Check mate, I'm ticking all of the above. Glad we can gloss over the details. Let's take a peek at my most-wanted styles...

1. Colour Block Purse - Marks & Spencers

Not one to resist the pastel perfection of a minty hue, this make-up bag is from none other than M&S. Available with a co-ordinating coloured coral wash bag, they make quite the perfect duo for neatly transporting all your beauty essentials. 

2. Hearts Make-up Bag - Alphabet Bags

Forever harbouring a soft spot for Alphabet Bags, not only do they fulfil my love for all things initial based - the company itself is run by the seriously cool married couple Hayley and Lucas. 

3. Small Make-up Bag - Anya Hindmarsh 

Strictly for your birthday list, it may be quite the indulgent gift - but for a woman who designed a collection on the ethos that 'a place for everything and everything in it's place' - is a lady after my own heart. With a neat little compartment for brushes on the reverse, it's ideal for traveling in style.

4. Make-up Bag - Charlotte Tilbury 

Make like a supermodel and house all your beauty must-haves in Charlotte's iconic make-up bag. Complete with kisses from of all the leading ladies in her life, make sure to take note of the empowering quote on the reverse!

5. Flamingo Print Make-up Bag - Kate Spade 

Did you know a flock of flamingos is known as a flamboyance? Like birds of a feather, lend a playful quirk to your collection and be sure to flock to this perfectly pretty addition. 

I'll take them all please.. let's just ignore the Anya Hindmarsh one I uncovered in my stash. Shh. 

Beauty Talk: Charlotte Tilbury

When word on the street that there's a hot new beauty launch, I like to patiently wait it out and suss out whether it's worth the splurge. Taking my sweet ass time, it became pretty darn apparent that where Charlotte Tilbury's new line was concerned I was seriously late to the party. Taking a nod from beauty blogger Adrienne, I made my way to Selfridges beauty hall (the mothership) where I became instantly smitten. Taking in the array of beautiful lipsticks, shadow sticks, blush compacts and that contour kit, all sleekly housed within the luxurious art deco packaging.

Having spent the last twenty years working as make-up artist, transforming some of the world's most leading ladies, Charlotte's work is nothing short of show-stopping. With her infectious charm and fiery red hair, she is on speed dial to the world's biggest designers, high-pofile super models and fashion photographers a plenty. Channelling her love for making women look and feel sexy and powerful, her beauty line was an instant success.

Lip Pencil in Pillow Talk ∙ Lipgloss in Portobello Girl  

 

Capturing my full attention was the lip pencil in Pillow Talk, a soft nude pink shade. A best seller for the brand and dubbed the lip cheat, the lure of creating the perfect shape and ensuring your lip colour stays in place from dawn till dusk had me curious. So curious indeed, it hasn't moved out from my make-up bag since purchasing. Whether softly used to improve my cupids bow or as a sheer wash of nude all over, it really is a make-up artist's secret weapon. Not your regular beauty must-have to be used everyday, but when the occasion calls to feel fancy or polished, Pillow Talk will now be a permanent fixture in my collection. Without going Kylie Jenner all over your pout.

Gravitating towards the rest of the lip line-up, I couldn't resist swatching the perfectly hued nudes and retro lipsticks. With the temperature finally beginning to heat up, I settled my fancy on the Portobello Girl gloss. Perhaps the most luscious pink slash coral shade I have spent months coveting. Super high in gloss without the dreaded stickiness, it adds a hint of colour again without the fear of migrating around your face. Incredibly balmy on the lips, it feels hydrating and moisturising - not an easy feat to pull off where gloss is concerned. Complete with the rose gold sleek packaging, it's an effortless addition that I plan to use religiously.

Tell me, what are your Charlotte Tilbury must-haves?

browse the edit:

Beauty: Maybelline Lip Elixirs

Colour Sensational Elixirs - Maybelline 

Now before we begin, one must admit that these swoon worthy lip offerings from Maybelline made their way into my stash all the way from my New York hauling last year. Taking a fair old while to grace us across the pond, I thought it was high-time I showed you the beautiful delights of the Maybelline Elixirs.

A classic take on the lipstick / gloss hybrids that have taken over our makeup bags, the Maybelline Lip Exilir certainly packs an almighty pigment punch offering a burst of colour, with a moisturising formula. Serving up fabulous high-shine gloss, both the colour pay off and smooth, soft texture is mightily impressive. So much so, that after I snapped up the rose pink shade - the others quickly followed suite. 

Rather long-lasting on the lip (which I dare is somewhat tricky for a gloss), I would say these are occasionally sticky with the occasional hair migrating the lip area. Of course, this only is small gripe when wearing a bright shade, but one I barely notice. Applying evenly across the lip, the heart-shaped wand works well to cover the lip with one smooth application. 

Hand-picking a few of their wide shade range, I pumped for a pretty baby pink, a flirty coral shade and their signature bright red of the collection.

Petal Push ∙ The classic in any lipstick line-up, the perfectly pretty pink. Offering a sheer wash of your lips but better shade, I can apply this sweet shade without a mirror it is that fool proof.

Breathtaking Apricot ∙ A pop of fun and flirty coral that simply calls for summer days (and a tan). I'm not sure I can quite pull this off just yet, come the summer this apricot hue will complement any sun-kissed complexion. 

Signature Scarlet ∙ A true heroine red, I'm forever in awe of the high-shine gloss that this shade has to offer. Taking my matte red lipsticks to another level, Signature Scarlet equally works just as beautifully alone - just make sure you have the q-tips at the ready. 

Stay tuned for my full American beauty pieces coming soon - now, in the mean time who will be treating themselves to the Maybelline Colour Elixirs? 

Beauty Notes: The Ultimate Mascara

Reaching new levels of lash length, a new beauty discovery has been uncovered. Well, rediscovered. Having flirted with a bright lip for quite some time now, I went back to basics in search of the ultimate mascara. For me nothing quite beats mastering the art of long, luscious lashes - especially when you wear glasses. 

Dashing into Boots, I snapped up the Seventeen Doll'd Up mascara. A throw back to my teenage years, this mascara is (prepare to take a sharp intake of breath) holy grail beauty material. Setting you back less than a tenner, this curl enhancing, curved comb wand allows you to achieve new lash heights you've never reached before. A layer or two will have you in girl-next-door territory, built up however, it's a whole new ball game. Never appearing clumped because of the slick brushed comb, it layers on just the right amount of product. Worth trying out? You betcha.

Have you a secret beauty hero from the high-street?

And yes, this is the mascara that created an instagram frenzy. Whilst in my dressing gown. Oh the glamour.

Beauty Notes: Feeling Peachy

Calypso Coral - Bobbi Brown

That's it. It's official. I'm fast-forwarding to spring beauty in the shape of this peachy keen lip and cheek pot from Bobbi Brown. A recent discovery in my stash, this unloved cream product went severely unloved in the blush department, only called upon in my most tanned moments (aka never). Feeling daring on a particular Sunday and certainly not letting this bad boy slip by the way side, blotted on the lips - it is quite the perfect peachy hue. Just the right amount of sheer pigment, it completely brightened up my complexion and made my teeth look all that little bit whiter. Bravo!

Have you ever tried the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks? Has anyone ever actually used a multi-puporse product successfully? It's a no from me.