Current Beauty Favourites

When I started this blog (previously A Yellow Brick Blog) back in 2013 I talked about make-up a lot. Probably 85% of my content was talking cosmetics whether it be favourites, hauls or a review. I lived for it and spent so much money on tying out the latest releases, top trends and recommendations from other bloggers to feed my addiction!

Over the last couple of years this has slowly faded away, not only do I not really have the budget to be buying new products every single week but I have also become a creature of habit and once I've found a few products that work for me I will use them religiosuly until they are empty!
So I wanted to share with you all some of my FAVS right now that I have been using constantly!

Stila Heaven's Hue Highlighter - Kitten
Highlighters are my thang! I have been obsessed with using highlighting products since I tried out a cream highlight from (maybe) Illamasqua  back in 2008/2009! I have bought countless different powders, liquid and creams over the last 8 or so years and this new release from Stila is up there with my favourites!
Kitten is such a classic shade from Stila and this version of the Heaven's Hue is the perfect finishing touch to any make-up look! I used to use the highlight from my Charlotte Tilbury contour kit everyday but I've now switched to use this on my cheekbones, down my nose and under my eyebrows! If you get the chance to check out the Heaven's Hue Hilighters.... do it!

Beauty Blender Sponge
Well.... I'm not too sure how I actually lived without this. I swore by using a buffing brush to put on my Facebook .... until I discovered a damp beauty blender! This is now the only way I apply my foundation and concealers, game changer!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
This was actually an influenced purchase... I haven't had one of those in a while! I had finished my with my Age Rewind Concealer (I think that's what it's called) from Maybelline and as the Fit Me was on offer and I had seen Brittney Saunders using it in her videos I thought I would give it a go! This is the perfect 'wake up' for my skin. It brightens up my eye area and transforms my tired face immediately! Where it has been so hot recently some days I have just been wearing this without foundation to brighten my skin and get rid of any fatigue on my tired-ass face!

Make Up Forever HD Foundation
I must say this has been in my make-up collection for a long while now BUT it can only come out to play when I have a tan! The shade I have is way too dark for my natural skin colour but when I have fake tanned, this mixed with a bit of my darker True Match foundation is amazing! Such incredible coverage and perfect for a night out.... it was also my go-to for the IOW Festival earlier this month! 

Nivea Daily Express Hydration Primer
*Holy grail alert* - this is my favourite skincare product to use every single morning. Once I've washed my face in the shower and used a toner I pop on this super light primer moisturiser to melt into my skin before I start my make-up routine. It feels fab and my skin just loves it, I'm not one for thick cream on my face so this formula is perfect, plus it feels really refreshing - I highly recommend giving it a go, especially throughout the summer!

Rosie For Autograph Eyeshadow Quad - I Feel Like A Million Dollars
I'm a sucker for nudes, bronzes and general neutrals when it comes to eyeshadows. I love my Naked palette from Urban Decay but this has actually been my go-to for the last few months. The whole Rosie range is super pigmented and fantastic quality!

Blank Canvas F33 Extreme Contour Brush*
I was sent this brush to try from Black Canvas a few weeks ago and I think I've probably used it every time I put on make-up. It is the perfect brush for applying my Charlotte Tilbury contour powder, definitely an everyday product for me now!

Zoeva 317 Wing Liner Brush
The perfect brush for applying eyebrow powder. That is all.

Rosie For Autograph Insta Glow Matte Bronzer Review

Make-up review time and how god damn pretty is this!

A few weeks ago now I ventured into a place I don't tend to visit often, good old Marks & Spencer's!
I'm not a regular visitor as I don't live super close to a store but when I do go in there are always two aisles I head straight for.... the food (hello chocolate covered cookie dough) and the make-up!

I first stumbled across the Rosie For Autograph range earlier this year and fell head over heels for the range and everything I tried from it.
The packaging, the quality, the colours - I was hooked... so it was inevitable that I would end up walking away with a bag full of goodies.... opps!
Yes, not only did I just HAVE to have this gorgeous bronzer (yes we'll get to it I promise) but I also purchased a fragrance and the candle from the range (but we'll get to those later this month!).

I am a sucker for any highlighting product. Literally anything with a bit of a shimmer or a glow I'm there, I will throw my money without a second thought and it to my ever-growing collection of pretty powders, creams and sticks!
As soon as I saw the Insta-Glow Matte Bronzer from the Rosie collection I was sold - it didn't have a price on it and I didn't care, I was buying it.

This is gorgeous marbleized bronzer and highlighter duo in a super pretty floral design compact (I seriously didn't want to use this at first!). It helps to create a sheer natural glow and, for me, is the perfect finishing touch to my everyday make-up.
I have to say though I'm not too sure why this has the word 'matte' in it and it is super shimmery.... which I love!
I had a Fake Bake bronzing brick which I used for years and years and since that ran out (and was discontinued #boo!) I haven't found anything half as good, until now - I'm obsessed with this!!!

Priced at £20 I would happily buy this over and over.... although I don't think that's going to be necessary as powders seriously last me forever, I don't know how I do it!

Birthday MAC Haul

As I woke on the morning of my 26th birthday bright-eyed and bushy-tailed I did my usual morning routine -  you know just some light yoga and a shot of healthy greens...... and by that I mean I casually lay in bed, avoided getting up and checked my phone for any exciting Kardashian news.
And BING there it was - a surprise MAC voucher waiting in my inbox for me from my lovely boyfriend (Lots of brownie points for him!)!

Of course this voucher did NOT last long and no sooner had I got it, it was gone. Although I must admit it was a tough choice picking from my never-ending wishlist!
Here's what I decided on.... 

Strobe Cream

This has been on my wishlist for so long now. Every single photo I had seen of it online looked so stunning - I'm obsessed with a perfect glow and that dewy, natural look and this cream looks like the perfect way to create that. I can't wait to play around with this stuff!

Lip Liner - Soar
The Kylie Jenner classic. I cannot believe it's taken me this long to invest in it! I LOVE MAC's lip liners - they are the best - and I'm so glad to have another nude shade to wear daily with Velvet Teddy/Brave.

Lip Liner - Nightmoth
Like I had said in my recent post I really wanted to buy a new lip liner to go with my Ariana Grande Viva Glam lipstick and THIS is the perfect shade!  Seriously dark, this plum shade is the best base for it - and also gorgeous on it's own!

Lipstick - Brave
Another product which has been on my wishlist for months and months.
 I saw a gorgeous picture on Pinterest of someone wearing Soar & Brave together and since then I have been wanting to purchase them both - and now I have! I know this is going to get some serious wear, it's such a pretty colour - perfect for everyday!

Eyebrow Pencil - Lingering
This was a total random purchase! But I've just had my eyebrows done and felt like trying something new for them! I quickly tried this out and am so impressed by how easily it works on filling in my sparse areas and how little you need! 

What's top of your MAC wishlist?

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MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - Lightscapade

Do you have a list of products that have been on your wishlist for years but you've never seemed to end up buying them?
Mine is as long as my arm but this year I'm determined to try out some of those classics I've been putting off trying for so long for no apparent reason - this being the first.

Lightscapade is a product I have seen and heard so much about for years but for some reason I have just never decided to taken the plunge and buy it ..... I'm sure this has mainly been down to the fact it's £24 - a little expensive for just a little treat.

But I was feeling a little excitable at the end of last month and seeing as my old job randomly paid me some money they owed me I thought 'Why not blow half of it in MAC?' - so that is exactly what I did.

This powder is gorgeous.
Lightscapade is a 'soft candlelight beige with multidimensional shimmer' - I have been using this everyday as a quick finishing touch to my ever-growing daily routine and I cannot believe I've lived without it for so long!
The range of colours help make sure your skin tone stays even and just a light dusting all over creates an envious radiant glow.
 It can also be used as a highlighter, perfect for the high-points of the face - the forehead, nose, cheekbones and brow bone.

If you are looking for a luxurious but natural looking product then look no further - I am SO pleased with this purchase.... onto the next product on that list!

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Collection #ConcealAndLightLikeAPro Palette

So, Kirstie-the-make-up-buyer has been on a serious mission these past two weeks. 
Yay for the blog.... not yay for the bank!

I'm not sure what has come over me but I've just been in the mood to treat myself to a few new bits, I think it was the huge clearout I had... it made me feel like I deserve something new, which kind of defeats the object doesn't it?

I'd seen a few girlies talking about this new palette on Twitter so I thought why not try it out for myself - plus it's currently on offer at Boots for only £3.99 instead of the usual £5.99 which persuaded me even more. 

This palette contains 8 cream concealers! Yes - 8! Although I'm sure you have realised that from the photo above!

The 4 concealer shades are to cover blemishes and imperfections - obvs - I've been using the second one in on the top row for any spots I have - thankfully... that hasn't been too many and I've actually been using the second shade in on the bottom row as a contouring shade, it's great!

The yellow is fantastic for brightening dark circles under the eyes which is something i have seriously been struggling with so far this year. I'm sure the older I get the worse they are getting - or maybe I'm just sleeping less, who knows?!
The green shade has to be my favourite, made for correcting redness in the skin this is a life-saver for me.
 Around my nose, my eyelids and sometimes under my eyes - this works wonders for toning down and hiding those problems areas that don't ever seem to want to go away.

The highlighter is a lovely ivory pink shade great for using down the nose, under the brows and on your cupid's bow!
Last but not least is the purple (lilac) shade which is used to revive dull skin - I haven't had the need to use this yet but like the other colours it is really light and creamy and blends in easily.

All in all I think this is a steal - you'd pay £5.99 for any one of these on their own, so getting 8 for that price is a bargain! If you want to give it a go head to Boots quick while it's still on offer and save yourself £2!

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My Everyday Contouring Duo

Contouring has been talk of the make-up town for at least a year now and although I'm no Kimmy K when it comes to shaping my face, I do use a couple of products in my everyday routine to give me a little definition, colour and shimmer.

These two have been a solid make-up favourite and in my make-up bag since the day that I got them. It was literally love at first use and I know I've talked about them a fair few times already on here but I do feel like they deserve another mention! 

These two are both from the ever-growing cosmetic brand theBalm - on the left the Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter and on the right the Bahama Mama bronzer - and I cannot rant and rave about these enough.

The highlight is a gorgeous pinky silver shimmer highlight which gives a gorgeous sheen and glow to the skin and the bronzer is a fantastic matte tan shade, which I always find hard to get hold of (For under £25 anyway!) - together they are a dream team!

I start off my doing my usual base of make-up - primer, concealer and foundation. I then use my Zoeva Sheer Luxe Cheek Brush to sweep the bronzer into the classic '3' shape from my forehead round to my cheekbones and then down towards jawline. At this point I look a bit OTT and ridiculous but that doesn't last long.

I then use the other end/side of the brush to start of the highlighting.
 With the Mary-Lou I usually pop a bit alongside/above the line I had made along my cheekbones, then down my nose, a tad on my forehead and a little on my cupids bow and chin.
Then it's time for the blending - I use my big fluffy Real Techniques powder brush to buff it all together in small circular motions, blending away those harsh lines and creating a soft, subtle and wearable bronzed and highlighted look.

As you can see.... these are running thin and I'm already panicking about running out! Even though I'm trying to save money this next year these will have the be a re-purchased as I really can't see me living without them anytime soon.

What are you favourite bronzers and highlights? Have you tried either of these?

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Rimmel Good To Glow Highlighter 001 Notting Hill Glow

Another new Rimmel product today! Yes I've done a couple of Rimmel reviews already this past week or two but they have had some fab new releases for Spring so I hope you're not getting too bored!

Highlighters are one of my favourite products ever to use! A natural gorgeous glow is something I am always aiming for day or night and I've probably said that a million times over the years on here.

This new liquid highlight from Rimmel is a total bargain and I've been so excited to share my thoughts with you all.

There aren't a huge amount of liquid highlighters out on the drugstore front, my favourite for a long time now has been Skin WOW! from Seventeen and it's nice to finally be able to try out something new which isn't high end!
This lovely pearly formula is full of light reflecting pigments which help create a natural radiant and illuminating glow. 
It's very much like a mix between Benefit's Highbeam and  MakeBelieve's Luminize Skin Highlighter. 
I've been using this daily alongside my cheekbones, nose and forehead! It blends really easily and is priced at ONLY £4.99 - a total bargain in my opinion.

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theBalm Mary Lou Manizer Review

theBalm is a brand that I have admired from a distance for so long now, I have no idea why it has taken me this long to even try one of their products!
The packaging and naming of their products has always been something that has caught my eye when browsing sites such as Asos and Feel Unique and along with the fairly reasonable pricing they seem to have got their marketing on point.

I was extremely excited when theBalm recently contacted me and asked if I want to try out a few of their best selling products - of course I leaped at the chance (who wouldn't) and have been in awe of their awesomeness ever since!

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer*

I am such a highlight lover. For years now I have been constantly buying and looking for products to give my skin that radiant look that celebritys seem to rock with ease!

The Mary Lou Manizer (told you the names were genius) is a gorgeous pearly powder highlight which comes in a cute little compact with a handy mirror.

 I have been using this both under and over the top of my foundation to create a pretty honey hued glow for both everyday looks and my full-face "going out" make-up!

My favourite places to put it is on the apples on my cheeks sweeping up towards my temples, down the center of my nose and under my eyebrows!

Giving my skin a slight shimmer and dewy radiant glow this powder is definitely perfect for anyone's complexion, it gives the skin a softer and younger and it has gone straight into my everyday make-up bag to hang out with my other favourite highlighters!

This 8.5g compact is £16 - a middle of the road price overall I'd say but the quality in both product and packaging is much better than anything you'd get on the high street and I can tell this is going to be a product that lasts and lasrs!

If you are looking for a new highlighter or maybe thinking about treating someone for their birthday or Christmas I highly recommend this one! It isn't too OTT and you can build it up so easily - top marks to thebalm babes!

What are your favourite highlighters? Would you like to see my top picks for highlighters?

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