July Makeup Picks

It's been a while since I've done a makeup related blog post, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on some products I've been using recently.

May and June were pretty much makeup-free months for me - I was busy revising and taking exams, so the last thing I wanted to do before a day full of revision or a three hour English paper was sit and put a full face of makeup on!

Since I've finished college, I've been enjoying taking my time with my makeup in the morning before I leave the house and also trying out new bits in my collection, or similarly, other pieces I've had a while and just haven't used in a few months. 

EYESHADOW PALETTE ON THE LEFT:
Sleek 'i-Divine' Eyeshadow Palette  // in 'AU NATUREL 601' // £8.99
I hadn't actually investigated Sleek makeup until quite recently, but my friend recommended their eyeshadow palettes to me, so I thought I'd check them out. I do have some high-end eyeshadow palettes too (the Two Faced 'Chocolate Bar' Palette and the Urban Decay 'Smoky' Palette), but I also have quite a few drugstore palettes I love.

This palette has 12 shades, all lovely and neutral. I think this palette would perfect if you're just getting into makeup, and want something nice and simple, without a complicated 'look'. It's also under £10, so it's a nice palette to buy if you just want something to put on your eyelids, without being too OTT.

I often use the orange-tones to create a champagne type look that pops nicely on the eyes, along with often mixing and matching with the other palette. You can create a number of looks using this palette and I would definitely recommend it. The pigmentation is only slightly weaker than my higher-end palettes, which is impressive from the drug-store. I've been using this on days where I want a slightly lighter makeup look, and it's served me well.

Sleek 'i-Divine' Eyeshadow Palette // in 'VINTAGE ROMANCE 141' // £8.99
Unlike the previous palette, this is filled with bold, colourful, bright shades with plenty of shimmer in them. This would be good for a night out, or maybe just a day where you feel you can go bolder with your makeup. I often use the 'Au Naturel' palette to create a base, then use a couple of colours from this palette so that I can layer it up a bit, and use some shimmer on the top and inner crease. I feel that Sleek palettes are so underrated, but this one is definitely worth getting your hands on.

Rosie For Autograph Highlighting Powder // in 'ROSE BUD' // £18
I was lucky enough to have this bought for me as a present for finishing my A-Level exams, and have been hooked ever since. It is a very fine powder, so you don't need much to create a lovely highlight on the top of your cheekbones. I find that this is both a subtle highlight, yet pops nicely in the sun. You only need a tiny amount to make a lovely glowy look on top of your foundation. At around the £20 mark, it is slightly pricier than your average highlighter (there are plenty of drugstore alternatives that are similar), but the luxury just oozes out of this. I genuinely think that this has made such a huge difference to my makeup since I've started wearing this, and would recommend purchasing.

Urban Decay 'All Nighter' Setting Spray // TRAVEL SIZE // £9
Again, I was lucky enough to have this bought for me. I received this for my birthday (hence the old packaging - the new version is a navy and purple rather than white), and I have to say, I can definitely see why there is a hype around this product. I have been using this product on and off, but got back into using it a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know why I didn't get back into using it sooner! I love this product so much - I have no clue what I'd do without it in my makeup collection. It just sets a lovely light mist over your face, and makes your base look absolutely flawless, as if your face has been edited in a photoshoot. I will definitely be picking up the full size version when this runs out.

Soap & Glory Lipstick // in 'NAKED TALENT' // £9
This lipstick isn't matte, but isn't incredibly shiny either. It does have a nice sheen to it, and sits comfortably on the lips. I find even after food, I'll only have to top this up once during the day, rather than multiple times (as you find with some lipsticks). I love this colour, as it is a pink-toned nude, adding just a bit of colour to your natural lip colour. Even the packaging of this lipstick is super classy - it's in gold casing, with a 'S&G' on the lipstick as well, which is a nice touch. I'm quite pale, and I find this shade to be perfect - not too dark and make me look white, but not too pale and look strange on the lips. 

So, there you have it - my top makeup products I'm enjoying during July! Let me know in the comments below the makeup you're loving below - I'd love to hear what you've been using and recommend.

Katy x

Empties #2

Rimmel 'Wake Me Up' Concealer  // £5.49
So, I've kinda got mixed feelings about this product. I have to say that I think I'd be a bigger fan of this if it didn't have such an orange undertone and wasn't quite as light coverage. I did enjoy using it for a while, until I have to say I had a love affair with this product and switched back to the collection concealer. 

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? NO

Simple Makeup Wipes // £3.29
I've used these wipes for such a long time, and they are always a winner. Simple can be a slightly pricey band to purchase from, but for a drugstore brand, you're definitely onto a winner. Also, 3 for 2 offers are on quite a bit with Simple products, so you can often stock up for a few months. These wipes always feel super soft on the skin, and if you've got sensitive skin, this is a win-win situation. 

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES

Simple Face Wash  // £3.80
I'm not going to lie, I've been pretty rubbish with my skin-care. I always seem to be too tired or not bothered to do a 'skin-care routine'. I have been using it, and I do think it's a good face wash. I don't know if I would say it's the best on the market, but if you're like me and don't fancy spending your precious pennies in the £15+ region on Liz Earle products (as incredible as they look), then I'd say this is a good shout. It has cleared my skin up nicely, along with my Simple moisturiser (which I have to say works WONDERS). 

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES

Simple Makeup Remover // £3.80
I bought this on a bit of a whim, and I have to say, I'm not overwhelmed by it. Yes, it did the job; I removed all of my makeup using this nice and quickly. Despite the title of this actually being an 'eye make-up remover', this works perfectly well over the face as well. I don't think it was exceptional though, and for paying almost £4, you only get a tiny amount. If you're somebody that wears makeup every day/most days, you will make your way through this small bottle quite quickly. Since I've finished this product, I've been using the GARNIER MICELLAR WATER to take off my makeup, which feels much better on the skin and will last much longer.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? NO

Body Shop Mango Shower Gel // £5
Okay, so I'm aware there is a huge blogger hype around the Body Shop products (especially the body wash) so I won't bang on about this too much. However, I have to say I literally adore this. You can tell that the Body Shop don't test on animals and use natural ingredients - the product feels luxurious, yet isn't hugely pricey. For £5, this is fairly cheap to purchase, yet will last you a good three months. When I was using this, I was receiving compliments most days about my scent, when in reality, it was the mango scent staying on my skin rather than a perfume! Would so, so recommend.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES

Herbal Essences Camomile Shampoo 400ml - £2 (on offer in Boots atm) - usually £3
I've been a huge fan of Herbal Essences hair products for as long as I can remember. They are slightly expensive, although most shampoos and conditioners are (compared to Pantene, it's quite cheap!) This smells soooo soothing in the shower, especially after a stressful day. It leaves your hair silky smooth, super shiny and lucious, and doesn't leave it sticky (I find I have to be careful with shampoos, as some of them do this to my hair). If you're looking for a drugstore brand, next time you pop into Boots, be sure to pick this up!

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES

So, that's my ramble about my latest empties! Some were sucessful and I will definitely repurchase as soon as I get some money, whilst I think I'll be skipping on others. Let me know in the comments what you've been using recently, and whether you'll be repurchasing or not.

Katy x