ESSENCE LOVE ME, CUPCAKE!

I've been sort of discovering the wonders of Essence over the last few months after finding their products in my local Wilkinson's. Their prices are so affordable and so far, I've found a lot of loves. I picked up this polish over a month ago but I've only just tried it out, and I'm impressed. Love Me, Cupcake! is a gorgeous lilac-grey shade with an adorable shade name. It's like nothing else in my (humble) nail polish collection and as I am a fan of purples and neutrals when it comes to nail polish, this is perfect for me!

Usually, I am strictly a three coat polish kind of gal, but this only took two coats and I didn't really see need for a third. The brush is wide so application was easy. I've only had it on a day but so far it's looking perfect still. I've heard raves about the Essence polishes from others so I'm hoping for a couple more days of wear from this! Definitely worth a look at only £1.60 and they have a huge range.

You can browse their collection online here, or check your local Wilkinson's. Also, you can see what other Essence products I've blogged about on this tag.

Tina xx

THE SMALLER NEUTRAL EYESHADOW PALETTES

My bigger eyeshadow palettes have taken a bit of a back seat recently, and the smaller neutral palettes have taken over. The smaller packaging, more refined shadow picks, and less to choose from have been a winning combination. Although I love my bigger palettes, I'm not in need of that funky purple/blue/green, that most seem to house, on a daily basis. All three of these smaller palettes feature gorgeous neutrals that can create endless looks, with not a dud in sight.

A recent bit of blog sale shopping (watch this space) has landed me with two new (to me) palettes at a bargain price. The first is from the budget US brand Wet n Wild and is the Vanity palette. I've never tried anything from the brand before, so I snapped this one up as soon as I saw it. There are six gorgeous shades which I am obsessed with, and the looks possible really are endless. So far, the light brown matte shade and the shimmery bronze are my favourites but I'm so excited to play with the rest. This palette was limited edition over in the States but you can find it on Ebay and Amazon. This cheeky purchase may have opened a can of worms, as I'm dying to try more from the brand.

My second blog sale bargain is the slightly more high end Lancôme Bronze Amour palette. This dinky little quintet of shades is also perfect for every day but the dark brown means it can be amped up for night time too. This palette is almost tardis-esque; it looks so small on the outside, but has so much potential on the inside once you get it open. I haven't played around with this one too much yet, but I can tell just from swatches that it's going to be another beauty. The only criticism is a slightly lighter highlighter shade could have rounded out the shades in an almost perfect palette. I'm definitely branching out in terms of brands as this is my first item from Lancôme too. So far, so good.

Finally, another budget buy which you may have heard me raving about over on my YouTube channel: the Essence Quattro in To Die For is what started this little neutral palette collection I've got going on. This quad has a mix of mattes and shimmers with that gorgeous bronze shade that I just can't get enough of. At £3.50, and readily available in the UK I can not recommend this enough.

So, these are the three palettes which have made it into the every day make-up drawer and are giving me endless options in terms of neutrals: golds, browns and creams galore! I just want to use them all, all the time. Do you have any favourite smaller palettes which you use every day? I'd be happy to add more to the collection!

FOTD: BROW POWDER FOR EYESHADOW?

Today's look is a pretty simple one. I started off by priming with Dr Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner and Maybelline Dream Smooth Primer. These two are going to get a lot of love in the next month if I'm going to complete my Over by October challenge. I'm still holding on to the last few drops of my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 53 Light Beige. I am amazed that there is any product left. I have run this bottle dry. My concealers of choice were Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 2 just in the places where I needed some extra coverage and then Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 to brighten under the eyes.

To set everything I used my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Silky Beige. A new favourite of mine; the Bourjois Délice de Poudre Bronzing and Highlighter Duo was used to warm up the face and add a subtle highlight to the high points. I then added a little natural flush with Essence Silky Touch Blush in 4 Natural Beauty. 

For the eyes I did something a little different using my Sigma brow powders sample I received as a free gift. I previously have only been using one powder in my brows but thought I would give the others a try as an eyeshadow. The warmer powder in the Auburn duo is a gorgeous warm brown that is perfect for the crease when blended out. Another free gift was put to use, as I took a shadow from my Estee Lauder quad in Tempting Mocha which is a gorgeous bronze shade perfect for sweeping across the lid. The usual liners and mascaras were used: Rimmel Scandaleyes in Black, Urban Decay in Demolition, Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara and No7 Stay Perfect Mascara.

Finally for my lips I went with my new MakeUp Revolution The One Lipstick topped with Maybelline Colorsensational Gloss in Cashmere Rose.

ESSENCE XXXL SHINE LIPGLOSS IN NUDE KISS

This week I have been loving my Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss. I mentioned the gloss in this post but I thought it deserved it's own little shout out. I've been reaching for it pretty much every day as it works with almost all my every day lipsticks or on its own. It has the perfect balance of pigmentation and shine, and there is absolutely no stickiness or intense smell. The shade is a beautiful mauvey pink which is perfect for an everyday natural look.

I don't often fall in love with glosses but I'm not sure what I did before I had this one. I'm already contemplating getting a backup! It is only £1.80 after all - that might be why all the writing has already rubbed off. Well, I love it still.

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss here, £1.80

MY NEW FAVOURITE £2.80 LIP COMBO

As much as I love splurging on all my favourite high-end brands, I can never say no to a good bargain; and this is a definitely a bargain.

I've found a few gems in the MakeUp Revolution range, and this lipstick is just another to add the list. £1 lipsticks are definitely something I could get used to. This shade is labelled "The One" and it's a gorgeous light pinky nude which is poised to become a staple in my collection. The formula is creamy and easy to apply but works best with a gloss. My gloss of choice is from another budget brand, Essence. A recent trip to my local Wilkinson's and some advantage taking of the current 3 for 2 offer landed me with their XXXL shine lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss. It's a fairly sheer pink gloss which adds just the right amount of shine to the lip look. They are a budget match made in heaven; I'm definitely going to get tons of wear out of this combo.

I have no reservations recommending this little combo. £2.80? Surely it's worth a shot.

MakeUp Revolution "The One" Lipstick here

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 22 Nude Kiss here