Tuesday 31 October 2017

URBAN DECAY NAKED HEAT PALETTE REVIEW AND SWATCHES

When I first saw this palette I think I was the only person on the planet that wasn't too bothered about getting it. I had no intention of purchasing it until my friend convinced me that it was beautiful and that I needed it in my life. She's someone that I look up to and has insane makeup knowledge, so I trusted her and invested in a palette that I had no idea would become a staple in my life, and part of my daily makeup routine. It's obvious that if you don't like warm tones that this palette is not for you, but if you love warm hues or just want to get a palette for the autumn days, I urge you to check the Naked Heat palette out.
The warm hued palette comes with 12 shades tucked away in breathtaking packing. Easily the most stunning looking Naked palette yet. I absolutely adore the packing. I prefer this over the tin cases or the velvet case from the Naked 1, 2 & 3. The plastic feels more luxurious and the double layer front shows how much thought they've put into it.
L-R, Ounce, Chaser, Sauced, Low Blow, Lumbre and He Devil.
L-R, Dirty Talk, Scorched, Cayenne, En Fuego, Ashes amd Ember.

If I'm being completely honest, there's only one shade in this palette that I do not like with all the rest being insanely blendable, pigmented and gorgeous. I know the Urban Decay formula well after getting almost every palette since the second book of shadows, so I knew what to expect. Again, Urban Decay hasn't disappointed. Keep reading for a quick sentence or two on each shade.

Ounce - A soft cream shade with a hint of shimmer which isn't too noticeable. Makes a really pretty highlight on pale princesses.
Chaser - This shade is great if you're super pale like me and needs a barely there shade in the crease for a quick wake-me-up look.
Sauced - Is a great transition shade or swept over the lid. Super pigmented.
Low Blow - I like using this to darken up Sauced as a transition shade. Again like all matte shades in this palette, it's really pigmented.
Lumre - This is a super pretty shimmery peachy red which I love in the centre of the lid.
He Devil - A gorgeous dark red hued brown which looks intense all over the lid and blended out.
Dirty Talk - A really velvety shadow that has great pigmentation and blends well over the lid.
Sorched - This has the same constancy of Dirty Talk and catches the light beautifully.
Cayenne - A shade that's pretty similar to He Devil, only slightly darker and more brown.
En Fuego -  This is a favourite for me, and I love taking my outer corners to the next level with this shade.
Ashes - Pigmented and perfect for darkening the lash line.
Ember - I don't like this shade. This is the only shade in the palette that I had difficulty with. It didn't blend how I wanted and it seemed to get really muddy. The only way I can use this is using a light transition shade and patting this onto the lid with no blending.
Since getting this I reach for this almost daily and if I'm in a rush and need a palette that has it all for an easy autumn look, this is it. I almost never reach for my other Naked palettes so it's really refreshing to use this in almost every look and it gets me excited for future Naked palettes. All the shades are pigmented and beautiful - so if you like the colours in this palette, it's going to be an investment. 

You can pick this beauty up from Debenhams
here for £39.50.
Thanks for reading!


Sunday 29 October 2017

CAT LADY'S DEADS

If you've been reading my blog from the beginning (way back in 2012 - crazy!) then you know I love supporting local businesses. I have some really fun ones coming up for Christmas, but today I'm focusing on the talented lady Lucy who is behind Cat Lady's Dreads. Some of you know that I now have sassy extensions which this lady sorted out for me and I'm so in love. I'll be popping up a blog post shortly about my extensions now I've had them for three weeks! I'll be posting about the process and the maintenance. As she did such a beautiful job with my hair (I'd never had extensions before and she made it the easiest and relaxing experience ever) I want to talk about her lovely handmade dreads, as I know no one else in the East Anglia area that makes there own.
Dreads are becoming increasingly popular and I can see why. The beautiful colours you can have are gorgeous, and it's for sure going to turn heads. Lucy does an incredible job of colour themes and coordinated charms. All her dreads are completely handmade by her lovely self, but not only does she make them, she also dyes the wool too so all these lovely colour combos you see have been created by herself. To make her dreads she uses the finest cruelty free merino wool from South America, so you know you're getting the best. You can find all her creations on Ebay to buy and fit yourself here, but you can also buy custom packages so you can get the dreads of dreams. From colours, beads, charms and wraps she can conjure up exactly what you want. When it came to my hair and my extensions she was approachable and answered any questions I had (No matter how silly) and made sure that what she was doing to my hair was as healthy as it could be. I gave her my hair type, history of dyes, what colours I wanted and what I was thinking and she went above and beyond to create the best hair I can say I've ever had. I don't want my extensions to ever leave me!
Lucy is based in East Anglia and if you find yourself in that area she provides a fitting service, so contact her for details on that. You can keep updated on her Facebook page here which you can give a like, or on her Instagram @catladysdreads. You can visit her website and read all about her dreads here and while you're there you can see her gallery. Feel free to contact her on any of her social media - she's always happy to help!

Thanks for reading!



Thursday 12 October 2017

THE OLIVE OIL BUYERS GUIDE WITH JAMIE'S ITALIAN

I'm a huge foodie, and being very familiar with Jamie's Italian (You can read my full review here and book a table at the Norwich branch here)  I thought a guide on finding the right olive oil for the job would fit in perfectly here. If I'm honest, when it comes to cooking I'm not very observant and throw in any oil to get the job done, so after having a read of the simple guide I'm able to work out which oil is the best choice to enhance my dish. I don't think I'm alone in admitting that I take a 'one thing fits all' approach to things, so it's great to have something simple to refer to when making sure we are getting the most out of what we do. It's interesting that most Olive Oil is form Spain, and who knew there was a way to taste the oil?

Pure Olive Oil is great for:
Grilling
Frying
Sauteing 

Extra Olive Oil is great for:
Dipping Bread
Dressings
Cold Dishes

Light Olive Oil is great for:
Baking
Grilling 
Frying

I'm pretty pleased to now be clued up in the Olive Oil world as I was pretty clueless and now I'll apply this guide to when I cook. My food knowledge is now a pinch better and I can appreciate different Olive Oils and apply what I know when needed, and I hope you feel inspired to apply this to all your meals!