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.

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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!

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RIMMEL STAY MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK REVIEW AND SWATCHES - LATTE TO GO, MOCA, PLUM THIS SHOW AND PITCH BLACK.

I saw the advert for this all over my Facebook page, and knew I had to give them a shot. I popped into my local Boots and picked up Latte To Go and Moca for buy one get one half price and loved them so much that I knew I had to go and grab another two shades. This is then where Plum This Show and Pitch Black came in. I have a lot to say about these guys, so let's get stuck in!

Moca, Latte To Go, Plum This Show and Pitch Black.

So as I previously said, I picked up Latte To Go and Moca first and I kid you not, I fell in love. This is hands down one of the best matte lipstick formula I have found on the high street - For nude shades. These two shades applied beautifully from the tube with easy application and an opaque, matte finish. The nudes stayed on all day with no need for any touch ups. These didn't bleed, didn't flake and most importantly, did what it suggested it would - Waterproof, kiss proof and touch proof. They didn't leave any marks on my countless cups of tea which left the person cleaning my cups at work happy as my lipstick usually gets everywhere. 

Even with that high praise, I can't say the same for Plum This Show and Pitch Black. Plum This Show wasn't terrible, it was just hard to get even. Because the texture is so light and whipped, it takes a lot of time to get the rich plum shade opaque with no streaks. The colour is absolutely beautiful and because of that I don't mind giving it that extra couple of minutes to get it to look nice, but it does take time and if you're inexperienced with liquid lips I would give this one a miss. It's such a shame as once it's on the lips it doesn't bleed or transfer, and I can kiss my boyfriend with no red left behind. 

Pitch Black was honestly a huge fail. I really don't like saying completely bad things about a product but this shade really let the team down. It was streaky beyond belief, and the swatch on my lips below is after a long time building the layers up and hoping I could get a flawless finish. The photo below is about as good as I could get it, but it was so thick and weird that it just wasn't cute. You can see in the swatch above that it's a little streaky and isn't really black enough to be called 'Pitch Black'. Unfortunately I will not be reaching for this at all and the only time I can see myself using is it to darken any of the Stay Matte Liquid Lipsticks or create an ombre, but I wont be wearing it on its own at all. That said, Latte to Go and Moca are two incredible shades and really are faultless - so if you are a nude lipstick lover I urge you to check those shades out, they're beautiful!

Latte To Go.

Moca.

Plum This Show.

Pitch Black.

As I said, if you're a nude lover please check out the nude range, you wont be disappointed! I want to try a few more shades that are darker to see if there are any dark shades that are a little less streaky, so watch this space for that!

Grab these from Boots for £5.99 and include

them in your 3 for 2 offer here.

Thanks for reading!

KAT VON D PASTEL GOTH PALETTE - REVIEW AND SWATCHES

When I stepped into Debenhams in London with a friend a week a go, I had no idea I was going to be returning to Norwich with one of the most beautiful palettes I've seen. I hadn't used or seen anything from Kat Von D in the flesh, so when I saw this in the corner of my eye I had to swatch it. Kayleigh and I oohed and aahed over the pigmentation and I knew I had to have it. When I asked if it was limited and how much it was, I had to have it at the affordable £32 price tag knowing that I wouldn't be able to get it online. I knew if I had gone home without it, I would've regretted it. To give myself another excuse to buy it, I realised I don't have any pastel matte shades, so this would fill a gap in my growing palette collection.

The packaging is so stunning. All her products are uniform and looked gorgeous on the shelves, and knowing that Kat Von D puts so much thought into each product design gives me extra respect for her and extra love for the palette. I love the rainbow ombre text at the front and how the colours are laid out in the pan. Usually with palettes I would have a couple of favourites and possibly a few I'm not that bothered about, but every shade in this palette is strong and I adore them all.

Star, Clementine, Meow & Dope.

Doom, Gloom, Dagger & Skull.

As you can see, these swatch like a dream. They're insanely pigmented and the colour is popping! The formula is on the powdery side, but I don't say that as a negative as that's usually the case with mattes, and these apply smoothly and blend out so easily. Not only do they perform well, I've honestly never seen a palette like it. Each colour seems unique and I know that this is an investment and an extension to my palette collection. I'm guilty of sticking to the same palettes (Naked palettes I'm looking at you), but even though they're beautiful, they're not quite as unique as this. As you can see below the shades blend beautifully together, and they're soft enough to create a barely there pastel look, but also pigmented enough to pack on and create an impact. 

Unfortunately I am struggling to find a decent place to purchase this in the UK online, but as I only bought it a week ago in the Oxford Street Debenhams, I would say that's the place to get it. For £32, this is a steal. If you love pastel shades or simply want to jazz up your collection, grab this if you're passing - You wont regret it.

Grab this from the Oxford Street

Debenhams Kat Von D counter for £32.

Thanks for reading!

SLEEK DISTORTED DREAMS HIGHLIGHTING PALETTE

When I first saw this, I HAD to have it. There was no way I was going to let this out of my sight. I picked this up from Boots, but I can only find it available online at Superdrug, so grab this here while you can for £11.

I had seen this on Trendmood (If you don't follow her on Instagram what are you doing?) and knew I had to have it when it was released in stores. I don't think it was available for very long, maybe a month or so, so can only assume that it was incredibly popular. I'm already a huge fan of their highlighters, especially their Solstice Highlighting Palette which I reviewed almost a year ago. I've hit pan on that palette now, but I've moved that aside for a hot minute to make way for this beautiful palette.

Sleek describes this highlighting palette has a mixture of creams and powders with holographic and reflective pigments. This palette has three creams and two powders, but I wouldn't describe this palette as holographic. It has a iridescent glow that really makes your skin look like it's glowing, almost radioactive looking. I adore that there are three creams in here. I softly apply them with a beauty blender on top of foundation to try and not disturb the foundation underneath. If I'm feeling a little extra, I'll apply the powder on top. If I don't do that, I just wear the cream or powder as is. 

Top left, top right and middle swatch.

Bottom left and bottom right swatch.

The creams and shadows are equally as pigmented, packed full of iridescent shimmer that really show up on the skin. Both creams and shadows blend beautifully well, just be aware that blending the creams over foundation can be a little difficult, so you have to be gentle and work at it. My favourite shade in the palette is the bottom left, a really pretty violet hue. The highlighters last around the 6/7 hours mark on me, fading slowly throughout the day. 

I love the ethereal glow that the shades give. It gives a bright pastel glow that isn't too 'Oh my goodness is that blue on her cheeks?', with the highlighter being very soft. I reach for this palette and the Solstice the most at the moment for highlighters. I reach for this when I want to match a glittery eye look with my cheeks, and then the Solstice palette on my more natural days. 

For anyone wanting an inexpensive interesting highlighting palette, this is the one. And also if you're wanting to jump on the iridescent and holographic wagon, I'd recommend adding this to your collection and having a play around before splurging on a more expensive palette, such as the Kat Von D palette.

You can grab this from Superdrug

for £11 online here.

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EYELURE DYBROW REVIEW IN DARK BROWN - BEFORE AND AFTER

I've tinted my brows many times before, mainly using hair dye (Do not recommend!), so I felt it was time to invest in a proper DIY brow tinting kit. I love and trust Eylure and have used their products for as long as I can remember. You can pick up the Dybrow kit from almost any drug store for around the £7.50 mark, with Eylure usually being in 3 for 2 or buy one get one half price.

It's really simple to use. I always get a little freaked out with things like this, but follow the instructions and you'll be fine. The aim is to make a paste between the two liquids. You want it to be thick enough and liquidy enough to spread evenly across the brows. To add the paste to the brows I used an angle brush to get a defined line as I would usually do when doing my makeup. I found this the easiest approach. I've seen people use cotton tips too, so that could also be a choice.

It suggests to leave the solution on for as little as 5 minutes, but I leave mine for 10 to get it as dark as I possibly could. After 10 minutes I got a wet cotton pad and swept it over my brows to get the product off my skin.

Before

During

After

I am so impressed with how it turned out, and it was perfect for my holiday. I was able to just use a brow gel and keep them looking full and shaped with the tint alone. I go swimming 3 times a week so this is perfect for giving me brows with no makeup on. As you can see in the before shot, I have very light and spars looking brows! It claims to last up to 6 weeks, but for me I'd say it got to the 3 week mark before I had to think about reapplying. I would repurchase this over and over again, and after 2 months in I still have a lot of product left, so I could see myself holding onto this for 6 months before needing to repurchase.

You can grab this online at Superdrug for 

£7.50 here or in your local Boots

and Superdrug.

Thanks for reading!

SIMPLY SOAPS - ROSE PETAL AND GERANIUM SOAP & ROSA PASSIONATA NOURISHING FACE SERUM*

When I was asked to review some products from Simply Soaps I couldn't wait. Simply Soaps sells natural soaps, skincare and candles. They claim to only sell 100% organic and wholly organic products with no man-made or synthetic ingredients which is amazing. I had no idea what they were going to send out, so it was such a lovely surprise when I opened to the package to see rose scented products! Firstly, how beautiful is this packaging. I love simple and elegant packaging, you can't go wrong. When I saw the face serum I was way too excited. I don't use moisturisers unless they're in an oil or serum form as I feel they work best for my skin.

I used the oil for 2 weeks before this review so I was able to give it a fair trial and notice any differences in my skin. I do a lot of swimming so my skin gets dry easily. I also have very combination skin, with oily nose and forehead and dry patches around my lips and cheeks. I put this on my face before and after a swim, before my makeup and before bed. And I am in love. It absorbs into the skin effortlessly and instantly makes my dry skin soft and silky. It keeps my skin hydrated and most importantly my makeup goes over it beautifully. It also has a delicate rose scent that isn't too overpowering.

The second item I am reviewing is the Rose Petal and Geranium Soap. I go through soap faster than the average person as I love soap. I'm a massive soap hoarder and I've always got two on the go. This was one is heavenly. It leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed, and the scent is to die for. It leaves my bathroom smelling of roses, and every time I go into the bathroom I can smell it! I adore it!

Overall I love both of these products and I'll be quick to repurchase the serum once I'm finished through it - It's beautiful! If you love rose scented things the soap is also a great buy! The website offer loads of different soaps too so check the rest of the website out! Thanks so much for reading. 

You can get the Rosa Passionata Nourishing

Face serum here,

and the Rose Petal and Geranium Soap here,

*Kindly sent for review.

£90 GIVEAWAY WITH KISS PRODUCTS

I have been a huge fan of Kiss Products for a very long time now. They have a variety of lashes to choose from, including big bold lashes to barely there naturals, they cater to all people and all occasions. They're also famous for their extensive collection of nails. There's so many different types that you'll bound to find something that you enjoy. I have teamed up with Kiss Products to giveaway £90 (Yep. Nine Zero.) worth of products to a lucky person!

To take part in this competition please head over to my Facebook page here where you can find out how. This is for the UK only and will end on the 31st of May. GOOD LUCK!

ELEGANT TOUCH CHROME CRAZY NAILS REVIEW

I've never really been big on fake nails. I've tried a few in the past, but I've never come out the other end wanting to give it another go anytime soon. For some reason these glittery nails caught my eye - I'm a magpie! I don't know what made me decide to pick these up, but I'm so glad I did. Since wearing them, I've had loads of compliments on where I got them from. Because of that, I thought it'd be best to write a post on what I thought of them, the wear time, and where they're from.

I actually picked these up from Savers, a discount shop in the UK, for a bargain price of £2.99. I actually haven't found these there since, but I have directed people that way when they've complimented me on my nails when I've been on the tills at work! Just like most Elegant Touch nails, these come with nail glue, nail stickers and a nail file. You can choose between the glue or the stickers depending on how long you want them on for. I usually file around the ends of the fake nails a touch, just to smooth the plastic down. I make sure my nails are oil free with a swipe of nail varnish remover pads and then I'm good to go. After working out which size nails to use, I dab a little glue on each nails and press way. It's really that simple! They dry pretty much instantly, but too quick that you can't press the nail on in time. I'm not that great at wearing fake nails, and these nails are more on the long side! If you're not into super long nails these may be a little hard to handle, but after a couple of days I was used to them. Despite them being a little too long for me, they're way too pretty for me to not wear them because of that!

These lasted on my nails for 5 days before they began to pop off, but they're easy to reapply if needs be. I didn't do a lot in the 5 days of wear, so if you're a busy bee then maybe bring the glue on the go in case of any naughty nails trying to make their escape. If you can't find them at your local Savers they're worth the £6 that they're on sale for currently on Asos.

These are currently on sale at Asos for £6.00!

You can get them here.

Original price £8.99.

Thanks for reading!