Night out makeup look | HarleyJade

Last month I finished my exams and want better way to celebrate than a night out. When I go out, I like my makeup to be pretty dramatic. I'll make this one short and sweet, there really isn't much to it.

To start with, I like to paint my nails. Today I painted my toes but not my fingers (I planned on wearing open toe shoes but ended wearing trainers so this was pointless, I also couldn't be bothered to do my fingers- so there's that). The colour I chose was by thr brand Ciate London in the shade Cupcake Queen. This is a plain pink with a soft shimmer running through it, its a lovely colour but is one that will be available in just about every brand. I chose to use Ciate London as I find them very long lasting and they never usually chip.

I also fake tanned, my favourite is the Fake-Bake Lux Golden Bronze Original Self Tan. It gives an amazing all-over glow, and lasts for about a week without going patchy. I'm also going to be doing a fake tan routine in the upcoming weeks so keep your peckers out for that.

I usually do these two before I eat and before I pre-drink as I really don't want to be messing these up accidentally. Make-up is easy to fix, fake tan your left with until it wears off.

It's then for the make-up. I started with my eye make-up as I used a loose eye shadow and didn't want to ruin my base. I primed my eyes with a Benefit Creaseless Creme Shadow in Birthday Suit. I do really love these as a base as they have never creased on me, and they really do prolong the staying power of your chosen eye shadows.

The eye shadow I chose to use was a Mac Pigment in the colour Blue/Brown. If you've never seen this before then you're missing out, this colour is so beautiful. It's the perfect colour to create a smokey look. I blended it out using a few of the matte brown shadows in the Ultra 32 Shade Eye Shadow Palette- Flawless from Makeup Revolution (I used the one that I have highlighted)

I wiped under my eyes to remove any fall out and applied a primer. As always I used the No.7 matte primer ensure that my foundation will last the night away (this primer actually ensured my makeup lasted until the next morning, and even then it still looked flawless). 

The foundation I used was the Makeup Forever HD foundation, I only use this one when I am tanned as the shade is far to dark for natural me. I'm also very excited to see that Debenhams now stock MUFE! I then brighten my under eyes with the Loreal Lumi Magique Concealer and set everything with the Makeup Forever HD Powder. I only use a small amount of this and using excess can cause flashback (this applies to any powder with sunscreen or silica). 

The next step is to fill in my brows, I've gone over this in another blog post and it hasn't changed since! I'm a creature of habit.

To contour, I use the Sleek Contour Kit. The Nars Ita brush is amazing if you prefer a stronger contour- although it can easily be blended out. For my blush I used the Dior blush in Strawberry Sorbet, this is just a mid-tone pink- it's nothing original but it does look beautiful on. I then used the highlighter in the contour kit to add a bit of glow, perfect for when the lights hit your cheeks. 

For my eyeliner, I used the Loreal Paris Superliner and used my sample of Makeup Forever Smokey lash mascara- this mascara is phenomenal.

I wanted to go for a red lip for this night out- although I would not recommend something so high maintenance when your going to be drinking. 

I used the MUFE lipliner and lipstick combo and without doubt it is a true red, and absolutely beautiful. However, if I was to do this make-up again I would opt for a lip stain, my top pick is the Rimmel Apocalips. 

I love night out make-up as anything goes- what is your go to night out look??

Follow me on Bloglovin to keep up with my posts, I'll be posting 3 times a week! 

A quick update!

Long time no blog!!
It has been a short while since I have posted, and truth be told, I've missed it. But for the past month or so, I've had other plans that have had to take priority. I've recently sat my second year university exams, so all of my spare time has been spent revising. I then had a holiday booked to Tunisia with my boyfriend so I was pretty busy preparing for that. I have now broke up for summer and I have plenty of spare time on my hands and I've planned to put everything into my blog! I have loads of ideas planned and ready, from beauty looks to organisation.

Whilst revising I've learnt a lot about different learning methods and with this I'm planning on doing a revision/back to school series later on. I'll be doing my third and final year at university come September so I've experimented quite a bit to find my own learning style- but this will be talked about in a letter blog! I've also had many ups and downs whilst at university so I've thought about doing a blog posts about how I've felt throughout the year. I'm sure many other people will have experienced very similar things, and many more people will so if it'll help at least one person then it'll be worth it. 

As for now, I'm focusing in my blog- so if there is anything you would like to see, leave me a comment and I'll get it don't ASAP. 

OOTD #1 | HarleyJade2

Today wasn't much of anything, it involved a little bit of shopping and going Today wasn't much of anything, it involved a little bit of shopping and going to the cinema, so yes I was very overdressed, but I actually really liked wearing jeans to dress down heels. I feel like this outfit is pretty smart and flattering. 

I'm not much of a high fashion gal, so it's usually plain clothing for me.

Clothing

Fur coat- Marks and Spencer.

White cotton shirt- Next.

Boyfriend jeans- Calvin Klein.

Bag- Louis Vuitton (speedy 40).

Shoes- Prada 

Make-up

Foundation- Loreal true match

Brows- No.7 brow pencil in blonde 

Mascara- Make-up forever smokey lash

Bronzed- Sephora matte bronzer

Blusher- make-up revolution liquid blush (Psst- review coming soon!!)

Highlighter- Sleek contour kit in light

Lipstick- YSL lingerie pink

Lipgloss- soap and glory, sexy mother pucker in candy gloss 

So that's it! Follow me on bloglovin so you never miss a post!

Night time skincare | HarleyJade

The first thing I do is take my make-up off from the day. For this I either use cleansing wipes (I dont have any particular brand that I prefer, I just choose whichever is on offer at the time) or I use the LOreal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution | link | on a cotton pad. Both of these do an awesome job at removing dirt and make-up. 

I then pin my hair back with an old school headband and wash my face. There's quite a few face washes I use but my favourite two are the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser | link | and the NSpa Hot Cloth Polish | link |. I use the Biore cleanser when my skin is feeling gross and clogged up, I find this really does give a deep cleanse and remove any dirt from my pores. The NSpa cleanser is a much softer face wash, it is a creamy formula and I find it really does soothe my skin when it is irritated.

I then use a toner on my skin, it is pretty important to use a toner on your skin especially if you use a harsh face wash. Many people do not use a toner as they find it doesn't do anything for their skin, however the job of a toner is to balance the skins PH. The one I like is the Liz Earle Instant Skin Boost Tonic | link |. 

I then use an overnight serum. The one i have recently been obsessed with is the Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-oil from The Body Shop | link |. This has a cute little pipette dropper so it is easy to control the amount of serum that is being used. This product hydrates my skin and always leaves it plump in the morning. This is also the newest addition to my skincare routine, and makes me question why I don't used The Body Shop products more. I am going to be doing a full review on this little product so keep your eyes peeled for that!

For my night cream I use the Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream | link |. This stuff is so good, but it is pricey.

Do you have any recommendations on a thick, hydrating night cream?

Also I do appologise for the lack of posts recently and coming up, I have university exams that are currently taking priority. But before you know it they'll be over and I'll be able to devote all my time making my blog the best is can be!

Monthly Favourites and Future Wants | HarleyJade

So this is a new series I'm going to start, my previous loves of the month and things I want to complete in the future month.

March Loves

Peach. Peach scented, peach flavoured, I don't know what it is about peach but recently I have become addicted. To me peaches are a summer fruit, so maybe indulging in this scent is a way I can feel summery even when I'm sat in my onsie freezing my ass off.

Magnums- The almond kind. Well these certainly haven't been helping with my healthy eating. It's cold outside, and I'm sat eating ice-cream. Makes sense yeah? No, no it doesn't. But again with relation to my previous love, I really think I want summer to be here. Anyone for a holiday to a hot beach?

Cocktails. Has anyone seen the tipsy bartender on YouTube? Well, I've recently discovered him/them and have been trying them out at weekends. They always come out really good, so if your into cocktails- check them out!

April Wants

Organization. This is something I want to work on this month, and well I have no choice but to. This month I have assignments to do and exams to revise for, the joys of university eh? Below is my Filofax which I bought last year when I was going through my 'start of uni, lets be extra organised' phase!

To be fitter. With this, I mean I don't want to die every time I try to do anything Cardio. I lift weights but that doesn't increase my stamina. I enjoy using the stair machine but after 3 minutes I'm done! So whether it is running or swimming, this month I will be as fit as a fiddle.

So that is it! What do you want for the upcoming month? I quite like having my goals wrote down in black and white. In my next monthly post I shall report back and let you know how I got on.

Make your make-up last | HarleyJade

So your doing your make-up in the morning and realising that by the afternoon it isn't looking as good. Your foundation is rubbing off in areas, the colours aren't as vibrant and your skin is looking an oily mess? Well, I've been there and here are my top tips to prevent this.

Primer

A primer will help keep that foundation on from morning, till whenever you want to take it off. No.7 Beautifully Matte make-up base [Link] is my personal favourite and it keeps facial oils at bay and smooths over any pores creating a perfect base for the foundation. I only use this in my T-Zone as this is the only place I get oily, and using it on my cheeks makes them dry and flaky. If you have dry skin try using a more hydrating primer and using plenty of moisturiser underneath.

Foundation

 I think its safe to say that the best foundations to use to last all day are those advertised as long-wear. If I know my foundation needs to last me 12hours+ I use the Estee Lauder Double wear [Link]. This foundation will literally stay on your skin for ages, and its waterproof, so even if you get caught in the rain it will stay put. It also increases the longevity of products used on top of it, like blusher and bronzer.

Bronzer/Blusher

 I have found the best way to make your bronzer/blusher last is to layer it up. By this I mean use a cream product and apply a matching powder product over top. This may seem like a lot of product, but as long as you are using thin layers that are blended out then it won't look cakey.

Eyes

If, like me, your eye-shadow creases easily and the colours blend together an look muddy after an hour then you need to prime. I love the urban decay primer potion in eden [Link] as a neutral base. For cream eye-shadows look for a product that says long-wearing and like your bronzer, layer it with a powder to set. My favourite cream eye shadows to use and the Maybelline colour tattoos [Link] and the benefit crease-less cream shadow [Link] . I've also heard a lot about the mac paint-pots however I am yet to try them.

Lips

 Reapply lipstick isn't that much of an issue, however I hate lipsticks that bleed and rub off quickly. If i know I need my lipstick to last and that reapplying will be challenging then I always use a liquid lipstick. My pick is the Yves Saint Laurent glossy stain [Link] as it is long lasting and hydrating. Most liquid lipstick that last will dry out the lips and make them uncomfortable- Matte lipsticks are also longer lasting to creamier lipsticks but again, they are drying and not the most comfortable on the lips.

Chest Routine #1 | HarleyJade

It has been so long since I've been to the gym (a recent surgery  has put exercise on hold for a short time :( ) so I thought I'd write down my chest routine in hopes it takes away the urge I have to just go! I like chest day, it makes my boobs bigger and perkier, what better reason to pick up those weights?

Free weight bench press- 3 sets of 8- I always mix up the incline of the bench 

Free weight chest flies- 3 sets of 8- Again, I always mix up the incline of the bench. I also find this really hard and my increase of weight is slow. 

Bench press, Incline/Decline/Flat- 10 reps, breather, 5 reps, breather, 3 set of 3 reps with breather in-between all. The weight should be increasing for all of these. I also do these in different orders depending on what is available. 

Pec fly machine- 3 sets of  8- I use this as a cool down and by now my chest feels done.

Makeup Revolution Flawless Review and Swatches | HarleyJade

So you've probably seen this brand floating around social media because all of a sudden this brand has taken off. Whether it's the cheap prices enticing people in, or the fact they have dupes for nearly every best-selling palette, I don't know but people are going crazy for them. So, without wanting to be left out I had to buy one to see what the buzz was about. 

Price

The palette arrived this morning and I'm already so excited to have it in my collection. The pigmentation of this is incredible, and what's best is that it's only £8! Yes, £8 for 32 eye-shadows.

In this palette there is a mix of matte and shimmer shadows, ranging from light to dark in both warm and cool tones.

Placing

There are two places to buy this product, direct from Make-up Revolution |link|  or from Superdrug |link|. They are available in Superdrug stores, however what I have found is that the range of products in-store is limited, and quickly sells out.

Product

From looking at the site, this palette has glowing reviews and it is clear to see why. If you are on a budget or just looking to expand your eye-shadow collection I would highly recommend this palette. The quality of these shadows match those of my higher end make-up. 

The packaging itself is so sleek, the black lid gives off a very sleek feel, similar to that of bobby brown. It also has a mirror the full size of the palette which I find extremely useful, especially if I am using this to travel. Speaking of travel this is the perfect go-to travel palette for many reasons. The palette has so many eye-shadows so you can create a range of looks depending on the occasion meaning you wouldn't have to travel with 6 separate palettes. It is also cheap, and for me this is a biggie. When I travel i am always petrified of my palette breaking, I mean who can afford to keep forking out £40 every time their palette gets mashed up. Yes, I'd be upset if this palette smashed in my luggage, but not near as upset I would be if my Urban Decay pallets smashed.

Swatches

Top row:

Paper; Soft glow; Buff; Highlite; Angel; Unlimited; Brew; Simlver smoke

Second Row:

Almost there; Uncover; Barely pink; Lowlite; Golden night; Gold digger; Cheerless; Blue stars

Third Row:

Smudge; Shimmer heart; Universal; Copper shimmer; Medal; Darkest shimmer; Tarnish; Black tie

Fourth Row:

Pure chocolate; Raw; Red night; Molton chocolate; Burgandy nights; Greenstars; Cafe noir; Night

The top half of each swatch is taken without a base, and the bottom is taken with a base. Most of these swatches show that they are pigmented enough to go without,, however the black shades come across as slightly patchy and really need a sticky base to adhere too. Also the lighter matte shades seem to lack pigmentation. My favorite colour from the palette has to be Red night, the pigmentation on this is insane, and it feels like butter!

All in all, do I think this palette is worth it, and will I be trying out more from this company- hell yeah! I cannot wait to put another order in for these. 

I'll be posting a look using these shadows soon so follow me on bloglovin to get updates when that is out. 

GlamGlow YouthMud | HarleyJade

Recently I've had some unfortunate events that have led up to me taking quite abit of medication, which in turn has led to me having what feels like the biggest breakouts ever. In all honesty I very slack on my skincare routine, so every now and then I expect the odd pimple, but my skin is fortunate and rarely ever breaks out. So when I woke up to find that I had like 10 of the monsters on my chin, I freaked. After I had calmed down, I decided to treat rather than cover, so I reached for this little product. 

Price 

On the GlamGlow site this product retails for £49.99 for 50g (so almost £1 per gram). I picked this up in an airport at duty free, so it was slightly cheaper. As you can see this is pretty damn expensive compared to some on the market. My top mask before this was Lush's BB Seaweed which is around 8p per g.

Placing 

There are many different places you can purchase GlamGlow from in the UK, however unless you are in London I believe you will have to purchase online. 

Glamglow.co.uk // Selfridges // LookFantastic // FeelUnique

Product

This is one of those green masks that you defiantly don't want to be seen dead in, so when you put it on make you know the posty man isn't coming any time soon. This is a very exfoliating mask and when it dries it really does pull out any impurities in your skin. This really does leave my skin feeling baby smooth! 

Due to the price of this product, it isn't something I use constantly nor do I use it all over my face. I usually use this on my nose where I get blackheads, my chin where I get spotty and the centre of my forehead where I get larger pores.  Once you've applied this to where it needs to be you leave it put for 10 minutes and wash it off with some warm water. 

The smell of this product is heavenly- It literally smells like a spa. It is very luxurious. 

Overall

So overall this product only has one negative- the price. The original upfront cost is expensive but this product litterally lasts ages. It is the nicest face mask I have ever used and I cannot say enough good things about this. As you can see from the images below this mask really does calm down any devious spots that you have, perfect if you have that date and need a quick fix!

Beautiful Brows | HarleyJade

It's took a while but I feel like I am finally mastering the art of doing my eyebrows. I start with having my eyebrows threaded. This creates a smooth base, and really sharpens up your brows. Every now and then I will give them a tweeze to keep the shape.

I always do my brows before I do my eye make-up, my personal preference.

To start with I brush my brow through using a spooly, and then I use a waxy pencil which lays the brows flat. The pencil I have to use is actually a blonde one, but when it has been used up, I'll be buying a brunette one. I use the No.7 Beautiful Brows Pencil, and if you have blonde hair- particularly bleach blonde, this product is THE perfect colour. 

I then use an angled brush and MACs fluidline brow gelcreme in dirty blonde. Admittedly I bought this whilst I was blonde, however in my opinion it is far to dark for blondes. I have medium brown hair and it is perfect. This product applies beautifully and stays put all day. Also a little goes a heck of a long way. I've used this product for over a month and as you can see I've barely made a dent.

I then use MACs Studio Finish Concealer and fine brush and clean up under the brows to make a sharp line. I then blend it down to highlight the brows. This is a good trick to use if you have any tray hairs and it hides them ;) I bought this concealer to use on my face but found it was thick and drying however it is amazing under the brows. However, this is probably a little expensive to use under the brows. I'm sure there is a drug store alternative. 

The final step (I know, thats a lot of products) is to use Benefit's Gimmi Brow. This is a brow-volumiser gel with fibres so it really adds thickness and makes them look more natural. 

The brushes I use aren't any particular brand hence why they haven't been mentioned, but any angled brush and fine brush will do!