Karma Bracelets

I thought I'd share with you a local jewellery brand that I discovered on one of my many trips to Belfast. We were in Argento and as my friend looked at the Pandora charms I had a nosey around at the rest of the sparkly things in the shop.

I came across these beautiful bracelets in the style of the Alex & Ani but these were handmade in Belfast. I had to get one, maybe two! I got my friend to look at them when she came over and she instantly wanted some as well. I finally decided on the silver anchor bangle and the turquise beaded bangle. The bangles are all £18.50 and the beaded one range from £15.

After a couple of weeks I seen they had a 3 for 2 offer on so on my next visit to Belfast I called into Argento to make use of this offer and got another three. The gold shamrock bangle, the silver music note bangle and then I got the silver leaf bangle for free.

I wear them altogether with my Pandora bracelet and it makes for some pretty arm candy. When I wore them at the weekend I got complimented on them quite a number of times. I have my eye on a few more of them and will definitely be purchasing more of them in the future. The beaded ones are so pretty and there's some lovely colours. I think my next one will be the Claddagh one, it's lovely and I wanted a Claddagh charm for my Pandora bracelet but unfortunately they don't have one so this is the next best thing. I think the Claddagh bracelet will look lovely with my shamrock bangle and my turquoise beaded one.

You can buy these on line from Argento or directly from Karma. You can also purchase them in the Argento store. I like this company as they are handmade in Belfast, and they support local charities with the sale of every bangle.  I always like to see home grown talent and I definitely recommend you check them out.

Beauty Wants & Needs

Everyone has a little wishlist of beauty products that they need to have in their life. I've decided to share my ever expanding wishlist with my lovely readers.

Ben Nye - Banana Powder

If it's good enough for Kim Kardashian it's good enough for me! Kimmy K uses Ben Nye's Banana Powder to highlight her face with and I'm dying to try it out. I've read so many reviews and looked at so many swatches of the Banana Powder and all the different Ben Nye powders I feel I know them inside out. Anyone who wants more information on this product here is a great page that has everything you need to know on it.

The Balm - Mary Lou Manizer
I've yet to read a bad review for this product, this product is amazing. I've recently found out superdrug sell it online so I might just have to purchase this next payday.

Mac - Bao Bao Wan Lavender Jade lipstick

Isn't this the most amazing colour of lipstick ever! As with all the Mac collections this was sold out as soon as it hit the shelves! The prices on Ebay are double the price which is ridiculous.

Crown Brush - Brow Palette

This eyebrow palette from Crown Brush is amazing, and at £19.99 it's a complete bargain. Their concealer palette is really good so I would definitely love to try this out. Also the cover is leopard print so that is another reason to have it! You can buy it from Crown Brush.

Karla Powell - Lip Brushes

Lastly is these lip brushes. They are from Karla Powell the make up artist who has done the make up for the latest  Jane Iredale campaign. She has also done Katie Price's make up on a few occasions. I'm dying to get these brushes and at £15 for the three brushes it's good value. You don't have to use all three for your lips, you can also use them for filling in your eyebrows. I definitely suggest you check out Karla's Instagram, she has some amazing looks.

So there you have it for my wishlist, there are probably other things to go on it but at the minute I can not think of them.

Cheltenham Ladies Day #ColourMeMarch

I was given the fantastic opportunity yesterday from Etail PR to write a blog post about what I'd wear to Cheltenham Ladies Day to promote #ColourMeMarch.

What is #ColourMeMarch I hear you ask?
In 2015 Cheltenham Racecourse is looking to bring colour to the festival. From the hats to the shoes even your nails, its all about colour this Ladies Day. For the first time ever colour at The Festival will be celebrated judged via social media only.

It's all about colour, fun and sharing what you're wearing.

To promote #ColourMeMarch I have been asked to pick an outfit that I would wear to ladies day.

This dress is from a lovely little boutique in my town called Spoilt Belle. At £130 it's quite steep but it's such a beautiful dress. I have admired it in their window and on their Facebook page. It would be so flattering and you would get loads of wear out of it. 

I had a pair of shoes picked out then my sister showed me these beauties and I was sold.

They are from The Outnet and are down from £180 to £81, what a bargain! I think the hot pink would really compliment the dress. The chunky heel would be great as they wouldn't sink in the mud and they would be nice and comfy.

This lovely jacket is from New Look and a bargain at £24.99. This would finish off the outfit nicely and it would be light enough so that you would not have too many layers on and then be too warm.

I think all together this outfit would be lovely and it be stylish enough to hit Ladies Day at Cheltenham.

Lipstick Loves

If you haven't already guessed I have a slight obsession with lipstick so I thought it was about time I did a blog post on my favourites. I had planned to do my top five but it was impossible to pick just five so I limited myself to ten and even that was hard!

First up is probably my most worn colour as it seems to go with everything. Its from Seventeen' Stay Pout range which is available in Boots costing only £4.49. This lipstick is in the shade Rule Breaker.

As you can see from the swatch it's a lovely raspberry colour. It is both a pink and a red so it goes with everything. The staying power of this lipstick is so good and the pigment is fantastic.

 This is definitely in my top three, and also in my monthly favourites this month which you can read here. This is Mystic from Sleek which you can purchase in Boots and Superdrug for £4.99

Sleek lipsticks come in a range of matte and sheen finishes. Mystic is a matte colour and I think that's why I love it so much. As you can see it is the most amazing colour. It doesn't dry the lips out and lasts a lifetime. When it does eventually wear off it doesn't wear off all patchy which is great. I'm nearly finished this lipstick and have already bought a replacement I love it that much.

These Revlon Colorburst lipsticks are amazing. They have a matte and sheen in each colour and obviously I picked the matte ones over the sheen. They have great staying power and are really hydrating. They also have a nice minty smell which is nice when applying it. This is in the colour Shameless. they are £7.99 and are available in Boots. 

As you can see this is quite a vivid purple and I was so wary of trying it when I first seen it but I finally bit the bullet and give it a go. I team this with a dark berry lip liner all over the lip and it makes a lovely dark purple colour. The only thing I will say about this is that because it's a darker colour it wears off badly. Its almost like I've been on a red wine bender which is never a good look!

This is also a Revlon Colorburst lipstick in the matte finish and it's in the shade Elusive. This is about as natural a lip as I'm ever going to get as I love coloured lipsticks.

As you can see from the swatch it's a lovely rosey pink colour, I've seen it described as 'your lips just a better shade' which is the perfect description for it. It's a lovely colour on, it's a nude without the foundation lips look.

This is definitely high up there in my favourites list. Everyone needs a statement red lipstick in their collection and this is mine. It's from the Kate Moss Rimmel collection and surprise surprise it's a matte finish. This is a steal at £5.49.

I had been looking for this colour for so long but could never find the right shade and also in a matte finish so when I came across this I was a happy bunny. This is the perfect red to make a statement with. It has a fantastic staying power but the only downside to it is that it has quite a grainy feel when applying it although it doesn't feel grainy on your lips.  I can deal with the graininess to have this amazing colour. One I will definitely be repurchasing when it runs out. 

Shock horror it's not a matte lipstick! This is Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in the shade Hot Plum and it's £6.99.

As you can see it is a vivid pink with a purpley base. I have a few of these colours from this range and every one of them is highly pigmented. They are so creamy and they go on really nice. They also smell amazing, it kind of reminds me of play doh. I would definitely recommend trying some of these colours. You will need to re-apply during the day but they do stain your lips slightly so after wearing off you still have a slight colour in your lips.

This is Mac Cyber, its a satin finish. It costs £15.50. This wouldn't be an everyday lipstick and definitely wouldnt be to everyone's taste. 

This is a very dark purple. I had wanted this for so long and after getting money for Christmas I decided to treat myself. I was so excited when I seen the postman delivering this I couldn't wait to get wearing it. The first time I wore it I was so disappointed, it had no staying power and wore off badly! So the next time I wore it I coloured my whole lips with lip liner first and that made such a difference! It's definitely a colour you would wear with subtle eye makeup but when it's on its so nice.

This is one of my newer purchases but I fell in love with it as soon as I swatched it at the Mac counter in Debenhams. This is also a satin finish and it's called Pink Nouveau.

This is a mid toned pink that is very wearable. It's quite a bold colour but not so bold that its like "look at me over here with my pink lipstick on". The satin finishes are so nice as they are really creamy and are quite matte with a hint of gloss. When buying this I was told that this one of Mac's bestsellers and I'm not in the least surprised. It is the kind of colour anyone could wear whether dark or fair skinned, definitely a must have for any of you lipstick fans out there.

This is one of the most amazing cosmetics companies out there. Lime Crime is the company you need if you are looking lip colours that are different than the rest. You can get this from Cocktail Cosmetics for £12.50 it's in the shade Airborne Unicorn. The packaging is amazing and you will always find it at the bottom of your handbag. Plus there's a unicorn on the packaging; everyone needs unicorns in their life!

This is the creamiest lipstick I own and its super pigmented as you can see. I always wear this as an ombre lip teamed with a dark purple lip liner and it's my go to lip colour nearly every time I'm going out. I want a couple more of the colours from this brand as they are such good quality, I may add them to my ever expanding wish list!

Last but not least is not one for the faint hearted. It's also from Lime Crime and it's a liquid lipstick. It's in the shade Red Velvet and is also available from Cocktail Cosmetics for £13.50.

This is super pigmented and it takes a few goes to perfect. Its goes on as a liquid and dries to a matte finish. They say not to use a primer or to line your lips but I do both. As this is so matte its quite drying on the lips if you have not used primer or lip balm on them before hand and you definitely need to line the lips so they will have definition. I have this and the pink velvet and they are amazing. I'm dying to get my hands on Utopia, Pansy and Cashmere so I might have to make a wee order with Lime Crime soon.

So there you have it for my ten favourite lipsticks, they are not in any order as that's asking the impossible. I would love to hear everyones must haves when it comes to lipsticks; it might give me a few to add to my list of wants!

February Favourites

Just a few days late, it's time for the monthly favourites.

First up is Too Faced Sweethearts blush in Candy Glow. Out of all the makeup products out there I'm least bothered about blusher, I mean you can't really change it up like you can with lips or eyes. But when I seen this I knew I needed it, its the most perfect blush, a nice subtle colour that is buildable by layering it up. I got it in boots and at £24 it is quite dear but it is lovely on and the packaging is just too pretty.

This is the lipstick I always get asked what it is. It's Mystic by Sleek. I love Sleek eye palletes and when I finally got round to trying the lipsticks that was me hooked! This is a matte lipstick and goes on so easily and the colour payoff is great, you get what you see! It lasts all day and Macs magenta lip liner is a perfect match for it. All sleek lipsticks are a bargain at £4.99.

Next up is foundation primer by Gosh. I actually don't use this as a foundation primer but a primer before applying my lipstick. Gosh used to have a primer solely for lipstick but when the discontinued it I found this was a close enough match. This is a great primer before applying any lipstick and makes it go on a lot smoother. This is available to buy in Superdrug for £12.99 and it will last a lifetime as you only need a drop.

Everyone has tried real techniques brushes by this stage, and if you haven't where have you been?!? Anyone who has tried the expert face brush for foundation absolutely loves it. The powder brush is equally amazing. It's so soft and its feels so gentle on your face. It creates a smooth, even finish and doesn't leave product sitting on your face. If you haven't tried this yet I would definitely recommend it, its up there with the expert face brush. You can get this in Boots for £12.99

This is an old favourite but I've rekindled my love for it over the past month. Urban Decay's Naked pallette was the first of the ever expanding naked range. When I first heard about this I knew I had to get it but had to wait forever because it was always sold out when I went to get it. When I finally got it I was so happy and I have raved about this to everyone. I always forget about this for a while then use it and wonder why I ever stopped! I have all three naked palettes and this by far is my favourite. This is available from debenhams and costs £38.

Now I know this isn't beauty related but it is definitely a favourite of mine this month as the weather has been so cold of late. This lovely blanket scarf is from NV and it's extremely cosy. I was looking for a new scarf and looked in just about every shop in Belfast for one. As it was late in in the season not many shops had any left  and if they did they were black which wasn't what I was looking for. As soon as I walked into NV I seen this and knew I had to get it, at £14.99 it's a great wee bargain and I get asked where I got this every time I wear it.

So that's it for my February favourites.