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.

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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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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6 Products That Give Me An Instant Confidence Boost

As a normal 25 year old female I am overcome more or less daily by my insecurities, but I mean.... we could have a whole other post about that... today I just want chat about a few particular products that make me feel better about myself. Easy peasy instant confidence boosters... because who isn't interested in those?!

Yes, there are a few things out there that in my mind 'up' my glam game and give me that confidence that I'm otherwise lacking. 
From fake lashes to tanning lotions here are my favourite things to make me feel a bit better about myself :)

1. Fake Eyelashes
I can't actually remember the last time I went on a 'night out' without a pair of fake eyelashes on. I think I've been wearing them ever since I went to Ibiza in 2009.
For me, these are a MUST when heading out the door on a girls night out, I have THE shortest, stumpiest lashes and really small eyes so without them I don't ever feel like my make-up is finished or anywhere near as good as it could be.
Favourites :  Eylure Eylure Eylure- I love 101's and 107's ALOT and I do struggle to use other brands I'm not going to lie! I really want to try out Fleur De Force's new range aswell - maybe even the individual ones as I've heard they can stay on all weekend which would be amazing for Festivals and trips away!

2. Highlighters
The world (and my face) would be a sad sad place without a good highlighter! I think I have a slight obsession, I don't think I will ever own enough. Ever since buying the makebelieve skin lmizer as a teen I have be striving to find products that give me that dewy glow that all the celebs rock with ease!
Favourites : theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, Seventeen Skin Wow!, Rimmel London Good To Glow, Benefit High Beam & Victoria's Secret Illuminating Powder.

3. Tan Tan Tan
Not only do these products stop me from looking like a pale whale they also help to tone the look of the skin - a good tan can make you look a whole lot skinnier you know, I just wish I had more time (and patience) to use it more!
Favourites : Anything St. Moriz.

4. Razors
What feels better than freshly smooth legs? Seriously though - smooth, soft legs are the best - a major confidence boost in just a few swipes!
Favourites : Venus Sensitive Embrace

5. Instagram
Yes I'm saying it and you may think it's obnoxious and vain but in all seriousness - a good filter and a bit of editing can make me feel better about myself and I know a lot of you girls feel the same.... so don't act like I'm being fake and self-centered haha - you all love a good selfie!
Follow me @ Kirstielouises

6. Blonde Toners
Last but not least.... this is a big one for me when it comes to confidence.
 I am blonde, but I'm not a natural blonde, so I am always paranoid about what shade my hair colour is looking. 
My hairdresser is amazing and everytime I had my hair coloured I fall in love but after about 6/8 weeks I can see my colour fading and becoming dull - and sometimes even.... yellowish #booo! BUT there are products that can fix this and I have become a slave to them!
Toning shampoos are totally and utterly fabulous and after getting over my initial fear of using them (I was paranoid I would have purple hair if I left it on for longer than about 45 seonds) I have realised how much they can help and if I feel like a pick me up this is one of the first products I reach for!
Favourites : Pro:Voke Touch Of Silver Twice A Week Brightening Shampoo & Intensive Treatment Conditioner.

What are your favourite confidence boosters?

Get your own confidence boosters :

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My Top Highlighter Picks Under £7

 Highlighters are probably one of my favourite make-up products. For years now I have been obsessed with getting a pretty glowing complexion and the amount of products I have bought, tried and tested is endless! 
Some of the best highlighters I own and use most seem to be ones which don't break the bank - which is a total win-win situation right?
I've picked out 5 of my favourites to chat about today... and they are all under £7 ... most of them under £5! *Barry Bargain Alert!*
I've choosen a mix of brands plus a mix of both liquids and powders, as I know some of you are more of a fan of one than the other!

First up my ultimate favourite - 1. Seventeen's Skin Wow! Highlighter - £5.99. This is a product which I have raved and raved about since it was released in 2013 now! The amount of friends I've made buy this is countless now haha! The bottle of this stuff literally lasts me for months on end even though I use it daily and it is a great dupe for Benefit's High Beam at just the fraction of the price!
The most expensive of the bunch is the 2. Sleek Contour Kit - £6.49. Being a bronzer and a highlighter you can forgive it for being a little pricier than the others I'm featuring. I've already gone through one of these kits and had to buy a replacement, so for me this is a keeper! With the amount of different products I own and test to use one up completely is not something that happens regularly. The highlighter is a gorgeous alongside the matte bronzer, it's a lovely peachy shade, great for summer.
Next is the newest on the block which I actually did a review on not too long ago. 3. Rimmel Good To Glow Highlighter is only £4.99, a great price for one of the best high street brands in the UK. The shade I have is Notting Hill Glow and it is a lovely pearly liquid highlighter which I have been wearing more or less everyday under my foundation to highlighter certain areas, if you are a Rimmel fan this is a must-have for your collection.
The last two are both from one of the most popular bargain brands out there at the moment - Make-Up Revolution. 
Number 4. is the Make-Up Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter and at only £3 is it the cheapest product. The shade I've shown here is Pink Lights and my favourite of the bunch. The lightest and pinkest of the lot this is a beaut... although the product pattern itself is a bit off-putting... let me know what you think it looks like.
Lastly we have 5. the Make-Up Revolution Radiant Lights Highlighter* - £5. These super pigmented powders are amazing value for money and with a range of shades there is a highlight for every skin tone. Pictured is the shade Exhale, a pretty creamy colour perfect for contouring aswell as highlighting.

What are your favourite highlighters? Do you like buying cheaper brands aswell as high end?

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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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This Week I'm Loving... #13

Kendra On Top

I am so so happy this has been picked up by ITVbe! I love Kendra and have done since watch GOTPBM back in the day and when I was in the US last year I saw this season being advertised and was dying to watch. There's only been 1 episode so far so if you want to start watching go and do it now - it's on itvplayer which is a lifesaver for me as I normally go to bed at 10ish on a Monday night due to work! 

Rimmel Good To Glow Highlighter

Another new product from Rimmel now - I've brought, what seems, quite a few lately! I have been using this highlighter non-stop since picking it up and am planning to do a blog post all about it very soon so keep your eyes peeled!

St. Moriz Dark Mousse

I can be quite a wimp when it comes to tanning - I'm always paranoid I'm going to look horrendous! I've used St. Moriz for years and earlier this week I used the Dark mousse tan. The results were awesome - I love this stuff!

Pretty Little Liars Season 5 Finale

Well if you follow me on twitter/facebook/know me you will know just how excited I was for the last episode of Season 5 this week! I literally got up and watched it at 6am - what is wrong with me? I even switched off the internet on my phone so I couldn't go online and see any spoilers! I know lots of people are frustrated by it all but I just love it and cannot wait for season 6! We STILL have no many unanswered questions!!

Couch to 5km App

My best friend and I started this this week, It's an app from the NHS which helps you to go from coach potato to running a 5k with ease! You do 3 runs a week and it builds you up slowly, so for instance the first ones you run for 1 minute and then walk for 90 seconds and repeat! At the moment I'm finding it easier but I'm sure as time goes on I'll be struggling! 

The Chop

I finally did it! I got my locks chopped off! Eeek! It's definitley going to take a while to get used too! If you want to see I've uploaded a few pictures to my instagram.

New Look Black Platform Heels

It came to my attention recently that I had literally chucked like alla of my heels away (I know... who am I?!) so I ordered these from New Look online. They are plain black so I know they will be perfect for many an outfit and after wearing them on a night out I can confirm they are super comfy!

MAC Lipliner - Whirl

The most awesome shade to go with Velvet Teddy - I love this beauty.

New Dressing Gown

Finally we have my new dressing gown! I actually got this from the Teen section on New Look's website. I always look on there as the sizes actually come up really big! This was ONLY £5 in the sale and it is sooooo soft, I love it!

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NEW Rodial Make-up : First Impressions

Did someone say NEW make-up? 

Rodial are known for their amazing high-end skincare products and over the past year I have fallen in love with everything I've tried! Now they have decided to widen their range of make-up so I was super super thrilled to be asked if I'd like to give them a go.... life can be pretty sweet you know!

I've been sent 7 of their snazzy new products ranging from an eyeliner to a gorgeous contouring powder! So sit back, relax and check out my first impressions and thoughts!

 NEW Rodial Make-up featured: 

Instaglam airbrush primer*

Instaglam compact deluxe contouring powder*

Instaglam compact deluxe trandlucent HD powder*

Instaglam highlighter*

Hyaluronic cheek sculpt*

Glamolash mascara skinny*

Smokey eye pen - brown*

Rodial have really set the high-end tone nicely with this make-up range. The boxing and packaging is all super sleek and professional looking - such a treat for me! 

The first thing I decided to try out was the instaglam airbrush primer!

You may remember my post from a couple of weeks ago about my 5 favourites that I'm a big fan of primers! I cannot do a face of make-up without one and I am constantly on the look-out for newbies to give a go!

I was chuffed that this was included in the products sent to me by those lovely Rodial people - they know me well! The primer itself has a clear, smooth moisturising consistency which reminds me alot of the Laura Mercier primer.

It has a lovely scent, the same as the scent to The Hangover Mask from Rodial - fresh and slightly fruity and makes a lovely smooth base for my foundation and concealer to sit on!

This is perfect for these colder months for me as it is slightly more moisturising that other more sillicone based primers I have so it's great on those pesky dry patches!

Next up it's the hyaluronic cheek sculpt (yup, that's a long old word isn't it!) This was actually the only product I had a little "ooo what do I do with this?" kind of thought with when opening it!
When I popped a swatch onto my hand to check it out I thought - woah that's bloomin' bright - panic!  But after blending it I saw it turn into a gorgeous glowing tint which I was super excited to plaster onto my face!
The product is made for the apple's of your cheeks. the coral shade adds a subtle and pretty glow while the hyaluronic acids helps to plump up the skin - so this is great for all ages!

Favourite new product alert! I have been looking for a new face powder for a while now! I got bored of all the ones I owned - the only one I felt did a good job was my elf HD powder but I normally only use that for a "night out" - it's a loose powder and gets super messy too which annoys me!

So when I saw this instaglam powder I did a little excitement quiver (if you've watched a certain TV show you'll know what that is!) - a gorgeous HD translucent powder perfect for everyday use!

I have literally used this everyday since trying it out, I use the powder brush from real techniques to glide it over my foundation - which gives me a flawless finish and helps my foundation stay on all day. It is priced at £52, which yes is a little expensive compared to my usual budget but this has worked so well for me and I don't have to use alot so I feel like it would last me a long while which totally makes it worth it!

Another compact now, the instaglam contouring powder. Contouring is something I have been playing around with alot over the past few months it really seems to have taken over the beauty world!

This is a beautiful matte sculpting powder which makes defining and contouring as easy as 1,2,3. Rodial themselves have written some great tips on how to use the powder - here.  

I have now added this into my daily make-up routine alongside either my Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter from theBalm or the cheeky little product below- they both make a great pairing!

An Instaglam highlighter now! It's not actually that often that I use a pen highlighter, I normally stick to powders or my fav skin wow from seventeen. These are normally pink based shades and I don't really own alot of things that are yellow toned so I was looking forward to seeing how it was with my skin.

 This is great for illuminating certain aspects of my face - I love using it to slim my nose down (yes, I'm quite vain like that!) and it is also lovely to use alongside eyeshadows, it's fab in my tear ducts and on my brow bones.

Damn the mascara making a mess!

 The eye duo I've been trying out are the smokey eye pencil in brown and the Glamolash mascara. 
I have fairly small eyes so I rarely use heavy eyeliner as my eyes become non-existent, so a brown shade is great for me as it isn't as harsh as black. This is great for just lining the eyes alone or smudging to create a smokey eye effect and it lasts, like seriously lasts for hours! It is £17 but honestly, for me, is so much better quality that any eyeliners I've tried from high street drugstores.
 Practice makes perfect so I'm going to try out lots of different looks with this pencil.

Mascara is a must for me - all day, everyday. I have the shortest more stumpiest eyelashes which are pretty much the bain of my life!  This has been amazing used alongside my regular mascara. Once I've lengthened them I use this to really plump them out and gain a great flutter, I'm really impressed with it.

So, all in all I am LOVING these new products from Rodial - the prices are definitely more than your usual high street brands but sometimes paying more really pays off and I believe with these it does, the powders espescially!

I hope you liked this post - let me know if you've tried any of the make-up range from Rodial or if you would like to know anything else about what I've tried out!

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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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No7 Instant Radiance Bronzing Highlighter Review

I am like a magpie when it comes to highlighters and products that aim to give your skin a pretty glow and shimmer!
I had seen these online and thought they looked pretty but when I finally saw them in 'real life' I couln't resist picking one up!

There were a few too choose from at the no7 stand but I went for the bronzing highlighter, just because I have a lot of pinky shaded highlighters already so I thought this would be a good product to ad to my collection of goodies!

The instant radiance highlighter comes in a cute little bullet with a twist bottom (so this should last me a while!)

I love that this is a stick, it's so easy to sweep on and is such a handy little size to add to my make-up bag.

I have been putting this on my cheeks bones, brow bones and down the centre of my nose (in the hope of making it look slightly smaller) it is really light and creamy which makes it easy to blend in!

It has a lovely pigmentation which makes it easy to get a gorgeous dewy, fresh effect without using alot of product. 

Another holy grail highlighter for me to rant and rave about....ahhh it's so pretty I definitely need to buy the other versions now - I can never just stick to one can I?
This highlighter is priced at £9.95 but I bought it with a No7 voucher (£3 off!) and they do these offers alot so keeps your eyes out for those!
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