Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette Review and EOTD

I was going through my make-up stash the other day and came across this. I have had it for a while now and I haven't really used it much as I should. I have been stuck in a neutrals rut when it comes to eye shadow lately, so I decided to do a little review on it, along with a look. Read on to find out more :)

I really like this palette. There is a nice variety of colours and you can create pretty pastel feminine looks along with darker more sultry ones.

The packaging, as is the case with all Too Faced products, is gorgeous. I also own Naked and Natural eye but this packaging is by far my favourite, its lovely and I like to leave it out on my dressing table.

The palette contains 9 shadows with the ones that will be used all over the lid containing the most product. The shadows are grouped in rows; Day, Classic, and Fashion, and have corresponding instruction cards with an idea of how to wear them. This is great for people just starting out in make-up, and for people who need a little inspiration.

• Day:
• Soul mates - a cream with slight yellow undertones. Slight shimmer and glitter 
• I Do - a grey taupe
• Un-Veil - a very dark brown

• Classic: 
• Kiss the Bride - a light matte pastel pink
• Cut the Cake - a cool toned light purple, slight shimmer
• First Dance- dark purple, again cool toned.

• Fashion
• Bouquet Toss - a greeny beige colour
• Honey Moon - an olive gold with a lot of shimmer
• Ever After - a dark brown, slightly more warm toned than Un-Veiled with lots of shimmer and glitter.

These are the best I could get the swatches as the weather has been bad all day. The lighter shadows are less pigmented than the darker ones, but I think this is great as you can have a very subtle wash of colour, or you can build it up for a little bit more pop. They have a soft and buttery texture and blend like a dream, just make sure to tap/blow off the excess on your brush before applying as there is a little bit of fallout, nothing major.

 The only one I had a slight issue with was kiss the Bride (light pink) as my eyelids have quite a lot of pink in them already, and it did look a bit like I had pinkeye before I took these steps: I use an eye shadow primer and then apply NYX jumbo eye pencil in milk all over my lids as a base. I then apply Kiss the Bride and it comes out a lovely pastel pink. 

I did a look using the palette but as the light was so bad, and then my camera died, this was the best of the bunch unfortunately. I used Kiss the Bride all over the lid, Cut the Cake on the outer third of the lid and in the crease and First dance in the outer part of the crease and on the bottom of my lid. I used nyx jumbo pencil in milk as a base along with asda primer, and lined the top lashes with Rimmel gel eye liner. My mascara is Benefit Bad Gal, and I used Eye Bright in the water line and tearduct.

Just like the other Two Faced shadows I own, these last all day with out creasing on me even with out a primer. They are great quality and definitely worth considering for your collection.

Overall a great palette which can be used to create a number of looks. Amazing quality, you wouldn't be disappointed if you purchased this (in my opinion :D)

Rating
Pigmentation:4.5/5
Overall: 5/5

Do you own any of the Two Faced palettes?

Gem x

What Was In My Holiday Makeup Bag

I love reading these types of post, so as I have just recently come back from lovely Majorca, I decided to do a little post on what I took with me.

 I love to over pack and if I don't take everything but the kitchen sink feel a little panicky. I think I did quite well though with my makeup, clothes on the other hand, I didn't do too well with.

The one thing I didn't pack and could have done with was a hair dryer, as the one provided with the hotel room was pants. It was one of the ones that you have to keep your finger on the button for it to work, needless to say with very thick hair I came home with a sore finger haha.

So enough rambling here is what I took with me on holiday, makeup wise.

Face

• Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - a great foundation, not too heavy and gives a lovely natural glow. I didnt use this during the day as I spent it in the pool with my little ones so this was only really used in the evenings. 
• Benefit Porefessional - love this and the size is so handy I just had to take it away with me. I used this under my foundation in the evenings.
• Benefit That Gal - again such a handy size to take away. I love this just as much as the porefessional but used this mainly on its own in the day to give my skin a little glow.
• VIVO Baked Bronzer (not pictured - lost in transit!) - I used this to bronze my skin (obviously). I tanned quite well on my body but my face didn't at all so I used this to try and even it out a bit! I also used it on my shoulders and décolletage to highlight my (slightly) bronzed skin. 
• Revlon Bare It All - One of my poundland bargain finds, this is a gold based highlighting cream which I can only get away with using if I am tanned. It gives a lovely bronzed glow to the skin. 
• Benefit Powder Time Lover - I love this kit! Its so handy to take away and has lasted me absolutely ages. I got it over a year ago in the Debenhams sale for £12.50 (bargain), and it contains mini versions of Dandelion, Coralista and Dallas. 

Eyes

• Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara - my favourite mascara at the moment, so naturally I had to take it away with me. It isn't waterproof though so I only wore it in the evening and hence why I also took...
• Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof - Actually was a waste of time taking with me. What a rubbish mascara. Didn't give me any extra length or volume and wasn't completely waterproof! Not sure whether to write a review or just chuck it in the bin!
• Avon Glimmersticks Diamonds in Charcoal Grey - I am yet to review this one but I love it. Its the perfect colour to put in my water line when doing a smoky eye (I find black to harsh for me) and its also a nice change from black. 
• Rimmel Waterproof Eyeliner in Black - I quite liked this product, and I love the fact that it has a smudger and sharpener built in to it. Very handy. 
• Too Faced Natural Eye Kit - I love this kit. I got more use out of the gold colour than usual as it looks nice with a tan. I also use the taupey colour in the top row to fill my brows so I didn't need to take a brow pencil with me.
• GOSH Click and Conceal - I used this as an under eye concealer and it does the job nicely, although does need to be set really well as it will crease.  
• Benefit Eye Bright - Used in the water line, also in the tear duct for a wide eyed look. 
• George/Asda eye primer

Lips

• Mac Viva Glam Nicki Minaj - The perfect summer lipstick colour 
• MUA Lipstick in Juicy - Another lovely summery colour. Sort of light corally pink and one I wouldn't be too bothered about losing. 
• MUA Lip Balm - Just a simple lip balm, nothing special about it and it goes on quite clear. I do really like the smell though.
• Figs and Rouge Balm - In case I had dry lips while away.
• ELF Glossy Gloss - Ballet Slippers - My favourite gloss at the moment. Its a lovely nude colour and also smells lovely.
• Maybelline Dream Touch Blush - Peach - I used this as a lip colour with the elf gloss over the top and thought it looked really nice :)
• Revlon Lip Butter - Love this for night or day.

Gem x

Post Holiday Weigh In

So I am back from my holidays. I had a wonderful time eating and drinking what I pleased for 2 weeks. The results are +5lbs on. I am ok with that as I expected a big gain, and I really enjoyed and didn't want to deprive myself Whilst I was away. So I am back on track this week and thinking positive. Hopefully I'll get the 5lbs off ASAP! Gem x

Pop Of Colour FOTD

The weather here has been so bad over the last couple of days. What a contrast to last week when there was glorious sunshine. To cheer myself up I decided to go for a summery bright makeup look today.

Here are the products I used...

• Benefit Porefessional
• Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation Shade 52, review HERE
• Collection 25th Anniversary Palette, Teal colour in tear ducts (red arrow on products).
• Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara, review HERE
• VIVO Cosmetics Blush & Highlighter Duo in Sweet Peach, review HERE 
• MAC Viva Glam Nicki, swatches/mini review HERE
• *Not Pictured* ELF Glossy Gloss in Pink Candy

My Guest Post on Where Are My Knees

Just to let you know, I have a guest post on my weight loss story up on Where Are My Knees blog. Its a great blog all about weight loss, definitely worth checking out if you are losing weight or thinking about losing weight!

http://wherearemyknees.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/guest-post-by-gem-from-gem-seren.html

Gem x

Holiday Clothes Haul

I am off on my holidays Tuesday, and since I have lost weight I dont have much of a summer wardrobe that fits. Any excuse for a shopping spree :). So heres what I got. I went to Primark and ASDA. I still have a few more bits to pick up but I am only going for a week so I do have most things.

I also got some Jewellery in Primark. I love the necklace and bracelet and think they go well together, and would look lovely with the maxi dress from Primark :). 

Gem x

May Favourites

I know this post is a little late as we are now 8 days into June (where has the time gone?) but I wanted to share what I have been loving over the month of May.

Yes Nurse Hand Cream

I had this in my eco Glossybox and have been using it pretty much every day since. I love how soft it makes my hands and also that it is quite affordable at £4.95. The fact that it is eco-friendly and natural is also a nice bonus.

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

If I had been wearing eye shadow in May it would have been from this Palette. I love it so much and you can see from the pictures it is well used. I have the Naked 2, but I rarely use it and opt for this one when I want a barely there subtle eye. The shadows are such good quality and blend so well. I use the top row most and I think 

Velvet Revolver is my all time favourite eye shadow. It is a taupey-brown colour which is perfect for the crease or use all over the lid. As I am fair I also use this as an eyebrow powder and it matches perfectly. When I run out of this I am going to have to repurchase it! 

Revlon Bare It All Lustrous Lotion in Pink A Boo

I got this from the Pound Shop and I love it. It is a multi-purpose highlighting cream which is also very moisturising. It can be used alone as a highlighter or mixed with your foundation for a dewy glow. It is discontinued by Revlon, hence it being in the pound shop now.

For £1 it is an absolute bargain. I know the pound shops have different stock from week to week, and it differs from shop to shop, but it is worth keeping an eye out for it. I have found it available on-line from fragrance direct at £1.99, still a good deal HERE. 

ELF Glossy Gloss in Ballet Slippers

This gloss is brilliant, one of the best I own. Its not too sticky, gives good colour pay off and smells divine. It is usually £3.50 but I got mine when they were on offer for only £1 each! I have another colour, Candy Pink, but this is my favourite. It is a peachy nude colour that looks great alone or layered over a lipstick. I particularity love it with MAC Shy Girl. 

NYX Smudge Brush

This little smudger brush is great for, well, smudging eye shadow! Its also good for using in the crease for more intricate looks, and as a liner brush for powder shadow. It costs £5.50 and is available from the NYX website HERE.

Gem x

Weekly Weigh In #2

I had a terrible week which culminated in me having a Dominoes Pizza and practically eating the whole thing to myself. Oops.

I only put on half a pound though, so considering one slice of Dominoes is about 260 calories I am pretty happy with that.

I am going on holidays on Tuesday for a week, so hopefully I will get back on track once I am back.

Loss this week: +0.5 LB

Total: - 35.5 LB


Gem x

Blog Button Swap

If you would like to do a blog button swap, please leave a comment below. I only ask that you are a follower of my blog first.

VIVO Baked Bronzer Sun Kissed Review

I needed a new bronzer and as I am going on holidays in 9 days, I decided to get a cheap one so I would be able to take it with me and not worry about it being broken by the oh so careful baggage handlers. 

I had been hearing great things about VIVOs baked bronzer, and own their regular duo blush and highlighter in Peach (review HERE ), so when I was in Tesco the other day I picked one up.

 It costs £5 and I think there were three shades to choose from. I decided on the lightest shade called Sun Kissed as this seemed the best one for my pale skin.

It is a lovely peachy bronze colour, not at all orange. It isn't matte, but not overly shimmery and I cant detect any glitter in it. It blends easily and lasts really well, and when I am wearing liquid foundation and a primer it pretty much lasts all day. 

It also seems like this is going to last me ages as it is a domed shape and the pigmentation is great so you only need to use a small amount.

Have you tried any of the VIVO cosmetics range? What's your favourite bronzer?

Gem x 

Benefit Freebies With Glamour Magazine, July 2012

It feels like I havens blogged in ages. I have been making the most of the lovely weather we were having, as living in Wales you don't really see the sun much and when you do it is a big deal! It was glorious weather and I spent most of my time down the beach. Its all back to normal now, rain rain and more rain, boo!!

Anyway, I'm sure most of you will have heard by now that for their July Edition, Glamour Magazine have teamed up with Benefit Cosmetics and there is an amazing freebie on offer with the mag. Its a choice of either The Porefessional 7.5mls, That Gal brightening primer 7.5mls, and a mini Bad Gal mascara.

The full size That Gal is only 11ml and retails at £21.50, so you are getting £15 worth of product for £2, amazing. Being the cosmetic junkie that I am I picked up three copies of the magazine and got all 3 products on offer. I have only tried That Gal so far and I am loving it. I am planning on going out this afternoon and hunting more down!

Have you got Glamour mag yet? 

Gem x

May GlossyBox Anniversary Edition

I bought into the hype again and re-subbed to Glossy box to get their Anniversary box. I thought it would be a good one seeing as it is being called the Anniversary edition. I was wrong. I am totally underwhelmed with my box, even if it hadn't been hyped I would still feel the same.

I got two samples that I could have picked up from any department store myself and ANOTHER shower gel ( I don't even have a shower haha). I think it is quite safe to say I am going to be cancelling my subscription and just keeping Jolie Box as I have been satisfied with the two I have had and I gather their customer service is excellent from my experience.

I Know some people got HD Brows products that are worth around £20 in their box. I think it is unfair that there are such variations in the value of products in the boxes.

So here is what I got in this months Glossy Box

Noble Isle Summer Rinsing Shower/Bath Gel, worth £6, full size (250ml) £20
Blah, another mini shower gel to add to my collection!

Eldora False Lashes Full Sized Product worth £3.90
I do quite like these, they look quite natural and not too over the top, they will get used.

Lolita Lempicka Perfume Samples, not worth anything really as you can get these for free.
I do quite like the smell of them and will use them, maybe take them on holiday with me. But receiving tiny perfume samples in a box which claims to give you luxury samples does not fill me with joy.

Apivita Express Beauty Masks, worth £3.50
I am not a lover of skin care as I have such sensitive skin. I will give it a go though I suppose.

OSMO Berber Oil Hair Treatment, worth £2 full size (100ml) £19.99
I have an OSMO hair mask that I got from the hairdresser and wasn't that impressed. I am quite curious to try this as I do like hair oils but I think the sample could have been more generous that a little 10ml.

So all together my box was worth £15.40, and other people had a product in their box worth £20. Not impressed Glossy Box! I did think the little extras of a mirror and balloon, and the tissue paper were nice touches though.

Did you get a Glossy Box this month? What did you think of it?

Gem x

Weekend Wishlist

I am stuck in on a Saturday night, there is nothing good on the TV and my boyfriend works nights and I am very bored. So I decided to do a little wishlist post.

1. Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Starter Set $45
I am a huge fan of Marlena and love her tutorials. It was partly Makeup Geek that got me into makeup and I really want to try her eyeshadows. They are supposed to be very good and comparable to MAC. They ship internationally so I may get these as a birthday gift to myself :)

2. MAC Dolly Mix Blush £17.50
I love the quality of MAC blushes, I only have a Face Kit and would love to own a full sized blush. I like Dolly Mix as I like my blushes to have a bit of a sheen and I think this colour would flatter my pale skin tone.

3. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish £14.25 100ml
I had been reading rave reviews on this cleanser for ages but was a little hesitant to try it as I have very sensitive skin which breaks out a lot. I had already bought a cleanser for £12 which didn't agree with my skin so was very wary about trying another pricier cleanser and stuck to my Clean and Clear. I had a sample size of this in my Latest in Beauty box and have been using it now for about 2 weeks and my skin is actually liking it. It leaves it nice and smooth and no signs of breakouts.

4. Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation £10.99
I confess,I am a foundation junkie. I like my current foundation which is another by Bourjois, Flower Perfection, but yet I still really want to try this one out. When I run out of my Flower Perfection I will be buying this one in the lightest shade.

Gemx

May Jolie Box

Contents:

• China Glaze Nail Polish in Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
• RMK Makeup Base
• Essential Care Organic Rose Moisturiser
• Talika Eye Therapy Patch

This is my second Jolie box, but the first one I am posting about. I really like this months box but am slightly disappointed with the colour of nail polish I received. It is a full on neon yellow which does look stunning in the bottle (the picture has not done it justice) but this is a shade that I know I wont pull off. I am quite pale and not very fashionable (lol). I was so excited to get a China Glaze polish and now I am left feeling a little deflated.

All the other products though are right up my street. I have just ran out of my Neals Yard Rehydrating Rose moisturiser so I am very glad to have got another rose moisturiser as I love them. I am excited to try the RMK base as most of primers break me out, I am on the look out for one that doesn't. I was hoping to get the lash serum but thinking about it I wear contact lenses and have very sensitive eyes, so maybe getting the patch was the right thing really. I have also noticed I am starting to get fine lines under my eyes so I think its time I invested in a good eye cream.

Have you got your Jolie Box yet?

Gem x

My Weight loss Story So Far

I am writing this post to motivate myself again, and perhaps in turn it will also motivate someone else. I know my blog is primarily beauty orientated but I think this is an issue that affects a lot of people, and is very important to me, so I thought I would share.

I have always been overweight. I think from the age of 10 I noticed that I was bigger than all of my friends and it used to bother me a lot. I used to dance ballet and tap and love it, but gave up at age 13 as I thought I was too big to continue. I could never wear the same clothes as my friends and had to wear adult size clothes. By the time I was 16 I was a size 14/16 and after I met my first boyfriend my weight went up and up and I was a size 16/18 by the time I was 18.

I always used to tell myself that I was overweight and there was nothing I could do about it, even though looking back my diet was terrible. I was never happy with the way I looked and was quite unhealthy.

At 23 and after my second baby I was pushing a size 20. One day I decided that enough is enough, I wanted to loose weigh and get to a healthy BMI. I finally accepted that it was my fault and there was something I could do about it. I wanted to set a good example to my children by being fit and active with a healthy diet.

I knew I couldn't do it by myself as I had tried and failed many diets, including calorie counting and slim-fast. I looked into the Cambridge diet but found that to be too costly, and wanted a diet where I could eat the same meals as my family.

I joined a local Slimming World group in August 2011, and found the plan great to fit around my busy family orientated life. The whole family could eat the same meals as me as the plan is based on a healthy low fat, high fibre diet.

Going to the group every week is really motivating, and I have met a lot of lovely people who are all so friendly and supportive.

I have lost 34 pounds to date, which is 2 Stone 6 pounds. My BMI has gone from Obese at 32.6 to overweight at 26.6. I was pushing a size 20 before I started and now I am a comfortable 14, sometimes a 12.

I still want to loose at least another 21 pounds, and have a way to go as my weight loss has slowed down a lot. I seem to have hit a bit of a wall at the moment with my weight fluctuating, but I am confident that I will do it, I know if  I stick to the plan 100% I will loose weight.

Here are some before and after photos :)

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara Review

I got this little sample size in my Harrods edition Glossybox. I have owned the Lancome Hypnose Mascara before and thought it was quite good so was excited to try this one.

I wasn't overly impressed with this mascara. If I had bought this with my hard earned money then I would have been quite disappointed.

The first thing that bothers me about this mascara is the smell. It is an overpowering perfume-y smell which I cant stand. It makes me quite nervous using this mascara, I can imagine it being very painful if you accidentally get this in your eye.

It is a very watery mascara and if you blink, or sneeze like I did, before this mascara dries you will get it on your eyelids and everywhere else.

I actually like the wand, it is curved which I find makes it easier to get to the inner and outer lashes. The wand is the only thing I like about it though. I like to apply more than one coat of mascara and if you do that with this one then you will get clumping.

There weren't many clumps but the ones that were there flaked off throughout the day. Once they had flaked off though the remaining mascara didn't budge all day.

It does make my lashes look longer and thicker, but I think for the price the mascara just doesnt deliver. I have tried better mascaras that cost a lot less.

Pros: Brush gets all the lashes in the outer and inner corners, thicker looking lashes
Cons: Smell, can clump, price

Overall I wont be buying this mascara again I think there are much better out there for less money.

Rating: 3/5

Gemx

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj

I have wanted this lipstick for ages, and the other day while Debenhams had free delivery I finally got it. Its a gorgeous bright pink with coral/yellow undertones, not one for an understated look but great for a bold summery statement lip.

I was a little worried when I first got it as it is really bright, but I do love it and think it looks quite nice. I will definitely rocking this lipstick in the summer (if we even get one).

Gem x

MUA Lip Boom Review

I love the concept of the new MUA Lip Booms. A lipstick, lipgloss and balm in one to me is such a good idea. The fact that Alexandra Burke has endorsed/designed them doesn't bother me either way. I am not a fan of hers and if it didn't have her on the packaging I still would have got them anyway.

I bought three of these in the colours Cheeky, OMG and OK.COM for £3 each, bargain.

The lipsticks are matte and well pigmented. They have a sweet smell to them which is bordering on sickly and not very pleasant but the smell doesn't last too long and eventually wears away. The gloss on the other end has quite a bit of glitter in it. I was expecting a more shimmery frosty lipgloss, which I think would have worked a little better for me, but luckily the glitter doesn't translate as too chunky onto the lips. If you suffer from dry lips like myself, you need to make sure that your lips are exfoliated and you have applied lip balm or Vaseline before using the matte lipstick as it can cling to the dry patches.

There is also a little pot of lip balm in the end of the lipstick which again is a really good concept but the balm if you can call it that is really unusable. Its sort of rubbery in texture and when you put your finger in it no product comes off it all stays in the pot.

OMG is a lovely coral colour with a matching coral gloss with gold glitter in it. Definitely a statement lip colour that I think would be flattering on pretty much everyone who is brave enough to wear it.

Cheeky is a bubblegum blue toned pink. On me the blue tones show up quite strongly and I think this colour is again a statement lip colour that would look great on a night out. This colour may not be flattering on all but I really like it. The gloss is a matching pink colour with silver glitter in it.

OK.COM looks quite scary and brown but my the lips it comes out a more peachy nude colour and I love it. This is the only colour suitable for a neutral toned down look out of the three Booms I chose. It would also look lovely on a night out when I have a more dramatic smoky eye look. The gloss to me looks the same colour as the one with OMG.

 

Pros: 3-in-1, great pigmentation, can be used together or alone for different looks
Cons: Quite a lot of glitter in the gloss, can cling to dry patches of skin

I really like the concept of the Lip Booms and the colours I have are all lovely and will definitely have a place in my regular makeup routine, especially for nights out I think they would look great.



Rating: 3.5/5

Nails Inc Freebies

Yay!!! so I am FINALLY back blogging once again. I have my laptop back up and running, and now I have a huge backlog of posts to write :( but lets get on with it...

I am a member of a group on Facebook called Beauty Box Swappers, its a lovely group where you can swap your new or slightly used unwanted make-up for something you do want. Such a good idea and if you haven't checked it out already you definitely should. So what I'm trying to say is this is where I heard of this freebie! A lovely member has a blog called Chiffon and Sparkles and she has written a great post on all the magazine freebies that are either available now or will be soon, here.

With this months issue of In Style magazine they are giving a free Nails Inc Polish, in the colours Powder Pink, Bluebell and Peach Sorbet. I got my boyfriend to go out and get me three copies of the magazine so I could have each colour, as I really loved them all. The magazine costs £3.80 and the polishes are worth £11, so its a bargain really.

Peach Sorbet, Bluebell, Powder Pink

Here's them on the nail. I had to do two coats of Peach Sorbet, but the other two were with just one coat. I apologise for the state of them but I have horrible nails that break and flake so easily...

Will you be getting any of these? Or are there any other magazine freebies I need to know about :)  

Gem x

A little update

Just to let everyone know that I am still around :) my laptop broke the otherday do I can only access te internet off my iPhone at the moment. Hopefully I will be back to blogging soon!! Gem x