My Favourite Dark Lipsticks: MAC Viva Glam, Revlon Black Cherry, MAC Media

 L- R: MAC Viva Glam II, Revlon Black Cherry, MAC Media

L-R: MAC Viva Glam II, MAC Media, Revlon Black Cherry

I'm becoming more and more of a fan of dark lipstick for the night time and thought I would share my favourites with you. 

First up, is MAC Viva Glam II, a  dark burgundy red and I actually prefer this shade of red to Ruby Woo or Russian Red, which are both more vibrant pillar box reds. This lipstick is just a touch darker and is very flattering on olive and darker skins. It has a matte but not drying finish and I can vouch for it's staying power. It very rarely needs a touch up and if so, only in the middle.

Next, moving into the darker plums and purples, we have Revlon Black Cherry and MAC Media and yes they are extremely similar. However, there is a subtle difference in colour with Black Cherry being slightly more reddish tone whereas Media is more of a true plum purple. There is also a difference in texture. Black Cherry is slightly more sheer where Media has more of a creamy texture which I prefer. However, if push came to shove, they are very similar and I would recommend Black Cherry as a good dupe for MAC Media.

For all of these lipsticks, I would 100% recommend using a lipliner first to really lock in that colour and to have a nice clean line. Any red lip liner would work for Viva Glam. A darker lip liner might be harder to come across but I know MAC Currant lip liner is a good one and Rimmel has a fairly dark one called Ultimate if you're looking for a cheaper alternative.

What do you think of these colours?

Have you got any dark lip suggestions?

xx

Kylie Jenner Lips- MAC Beurre & MAC Spice Lip Liners

Ever since I spotted the above photo of Kylie Jenner circling round the internet and social media, I'm glad to find that I'm not the only one intrigued by her lips and yes, there are surgery rumours floating around but I absolutely love whatever lipstick she's chosen which seems to be the holy grail of pink nudes. And thus, the search began.

Luckily for me, I live not that far from a MAC store in Granada so went in to have a little experiment and the two that most caught my eye were these two- the MAC Spice lip liner and the MAC Beurre Cremestick liner. I would say that Spice is probably the closest to Kylie's lip colour in the photo and is a lovely matte 'pink cinnamon' colour as described on the MAC website. However I do much prefer the consistency of MAC Beurre. Being a cremestick, means that it's an absolute dream to apply, which doesn't pull at the lip as much as a pencil and I much prefer the wind up option rather than having the sharpen it. Both lip liners can be used on their own to create a nice matte lip or can be used as bases for any nude lipstick. It's certainly inspired me to start wearing a nude lip more often!

I have officially one week left in Granada and I'm currently eyeing up MAC Velvet Teddy

Would you reccommend?

A sneaky duty free purchase maybe?

xx

Adding To My Mac Palette- Honesty and Sumptuous Olive

I'm not dead, I promise! It was a great surprise that I discovered that there was a MAC shop in the centre of Granada and after walking past in many times, I finally gave into temptation and popped in. I had been eyeing up Sumptuous Olive for a while now, and it's a branch out from my usual neutrals. As the name suggests, it's an olive colour with a lot of gold shimmer,making it one of those shades that could be two different colours depending on the light and the combination of the two make is a great shade for people with brown or green eyes.

Honesty is described as a pewtered bronze which is about right as there is a pink peach undertone and again has a lot of shimmer. Looking at my palette, I would say it's a cross between Naked Lunch with the pink and All That Glitters for the bronze-y shimmer.

L-R starting in top right- Shroom, Rice Paper x2, Naked Lunch, All That Glitters, Honesty, Woodwinked, Mythology, Mulch, Cranberry, Embark, Satin Taupe, Sumptuous Olive and Carbon

I've included a picture of how my palette is now so you can see how the shades all compare to each other. As you can see, I'm very drawn to my neutrals and bronzes. I'm tempted to fill the last spot with a bit of a wild card colour so watch this spot. On another note, Sumptuous Olive doubled up great as a green countour for my Medusa Halloween costumes. If you want to see a picture, it's here on my Instagram

Hope you guys had a great Halloween.

Any suggestions for the last spot?

xx

MAC Modesty

L-R. MAC Chatterbox, Fanfare, Modesty and Rimmel Spotlight Beige

MAC Modesty is a recent acquirement thanks to the duty free MAC stand in Gatwick North. I was looking for a nice new nude, nothing to pale that would drown me out. They didn't have Blankety, so Modesty caught my eye instead. Modesty is a cremesheen finish and described as a muted nude. I've compared it against my other favourite nude, Spotlight Beige by Rimmel. As you can see, Modesty is a bit more pink-y with a purple undertone than Spotlight Beige which is more peach based. I've also included for reference the differences between those two and other MAC lipsticks- Fanfare (another favourite) and Chatterbox, a strong pink. I really like this colour as it's not too pale for my skin tone. I have Hue by MAC and found that it makes me look a bit anaemic as it's too pale for my colouring and I usually have to warm it up a bit by adding some pink in. As Modesty, as it was described, is a muted nude, I think this lipstick would be equally suited to darker and lighter skin tones. It's very wearable for the daytime and looks equally good for a night out with a bit of extra lipgloss on the top a la Kim Kardashian.

I'm sorry it's been a while since I blogged. I've started on redecorating my room and so it looks like a bit of a bombsite at the moment and all the repainting has been taking up a lot of my time. But it's a learning curve at least. I learnt all about caulk and different sanders- oh the thrills!... I'm about half way done now and then it's just the finishing touches. It's been good having a good clearout. It's so easy to accumulate years of junk without even realising, especially since I've had to move everything out of my student house!

So that's what I've been up to recently!

Hope you guys are enjoying the nice warm weather!

xx

How To Depot MAC Eyeshadows

Today, I thought I would show you how to depot MAC Eyeshadows. At most MAC stores, you have the option of just asking for the eyeshadow pan so they can go straight into a palette but, when I was making the most of the duty free MAC in Gatwick, they told me they only had the ones in the pot. But not to worry, depotting MAC Eyeshadows are relatively easy to do. I'm going to be depotting my favourite of all time, Rice Paper and All That Glitters

The first bit you have to do is probably the fiddliest. The containers have a small groove between the bottom of the pan and the dish that the eyeshadow sits it. Using a sharp, flat knife, you need to carefully pry the two apart. I find it best to loosen the two corners and wiggle my way up. This bit is a bit annoying and it can take a while but persevere and it will pop out.

Next, wrap a bit of aluminium foil round some hair straighteners so you don't get any hot plastic on them and ruin them and let the pan sit on the hot iron for a minute or two so it softens the plastic and the glue. You may have to hold it down so it makes good contact with the heat and if so, please be careful of your fingers!

When the plastic is soft enough, you will be able to press your knife into the bottom of the plastic and push the bottom of the metal pan out. It will be hot so I use tweezers to get the metal pan out.

You will probably be left with a lot of glue residue on the bottom of the metal pan but a cotton wool pad with nail varnish will get it shiny and smooth and ready to sit in your palette.

And that's all it takes! Obviously, as you are using a sharp knife and heat, please be careful. 

Even doing these two, I caught myself on the edge of the straighteners.

Otherwise, this is a handy and straight forward way to depot MAC Eyeshadows

I hope this post was useful!

xx

Building Up My MAC Palette

Top row- L to R- Shroom, Ricepaper,  Naked Lunch, Woodwinked, Mythology

Bottom row- L to r- Mulch, Satin Taupe, Embark, Cranberry, Carbon

It's been a secret guilty pleasure of mine slowly building up a MAC Pro Palette. I love the idea of paying for the shades that you want and will use. Yes, it's a little pricey considering it's MAC, but every palette is, in my eyes, unique to the owner. Rice Paper was my first purchase and since then I've been building it up slowly/when I can afford it. As you can see, mine are fairly neutral, which is realistically what I would use on an everyday basis. The problem is now that I want to finish it off and fill it up. I think I might get a deep purple next and then I'll see.... If you have any favourite shades, let me know! I actually have a habit of keeping a post it note underneath so that I remember which ones which.

So anyway, I just thought I would share this all with you. I'm impatient for the end of exams and for the snow to go away! I'm really not a winter person... Me and the boy have booked a city break to Barcelona for the start of the Easter holidays, which, is incedently really early, so I'm trying to create a Sephora and other European make-up/skin care list. Best to make the most it, right? Can you recommend anything?

Hope you're all keeping well and warm

Have a good weekend 

xx

Top 12 of 2012

So I thought today of all days would be the perfect time to share with you my Top 12 of 2012. It's a complete mix of things- beauty, clothes, music etc etc but these are really things that I could not have lived without throughout 2012.

In no particular order

L'Oreal Mythic Oil

I've had this for quite a while now actually but it's still something I couldn't live without. I use it religiously every time I wash my hair and it's great for curly hair like mine. It also helps keep it healthy and happy and I'm proud to say my hair is in great condition.

Real Techniques Eye Brushes

A fairly recent purchase and something I never quite got round to photographing for my blog. I love these brushes and they're great quality. Now I've started branching out a bit in regards to eye make up, I feel I can properly follow all those lovely tutorials you see on Youtube

MAC Fanfare Lipstick

I bought this a while ago and haven't stopped wearing  it since. It goes great with my skin tone and isn't too much of a bright pink so it can be worn day or night. A very flattering and versatile lipstick.

ASOS Leather Jacket

This jacket has done me proud. I basically live in it. 

It's warm, well made and a bargain at £100 for real leather

MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow

My first MAC eyeshadow and the one that set me off on a quest to complete a 15x palette... I'm 2/3 of the way there now. A gorgeous pale gold that works great as a base and lightens up the eye area. 

Great if you're a glasses wearer like me

Body Shop Seaweed Range

Throughout this year, I've been working my way through quite a few new skin care brands and while usually initially impressed with them, so many of them ended up drying out my skin. Enter The Body Shop. A great range and perfect for combination/oily skin. This range has not dried me out, is gentle on the skin and gets stubborn eye makeup off

Converse

Again, quite a recent purchase but again something that I have lived in. Apart from when it's really raining, cuz they're not so great for that... Very comfortable and makes an outfit look instantly a combination of casual and cool

Urban Outfitters Graphic Tee's

I've always loved UO t-shirts. They're great for when I need to chuck something on for uni with a pair of jeans but at their full price, I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. But when they're in the sale and/or there are student discounts going around, I jump at the chance.

Ben Howard

2012 was the year I discovered and fell in love with Ben Howard and his music. I first came across him when he did an eerily good rendition of Call Me Maybe. Since then, I've hunted down as much of his music as I can but my favourite would still have to be Keep Your Head Up

Vera Wang Princess Night Perfume

My boyfriend bought me this perfume after months of hinting on his way back from a holiday in the summer. It's a very sweet fragrance- perhaps not to everyone's liking- but I love it and recommend everyone to go give it a whiff if they have the chance

Swimming

Bit off an odd one but 2012 was the year I started to swim. I've never been a particularly good swimmer having nearly drowned when I was very young. I started going with my sister in the summer and have kept it up since. It's great exercise, has really helped my asthma and my confidence in the water. I've also taught myself how to do the strokes properly and I plan to keep improving

Origins Night-a-Mins

Jusssst sneaking in to 2012, is this moisturiser. I know I've only had it a week but it's left such an impression on me, I had to include it. It's helped reduce the appearance of blemishes as they fade and has left my skin feeling much healthier and softer in the mornings

And those are my top 12 of 2012!

Let me know if you have anything similar on your blogs- I love seeing what products people have really enjoyed this year. 2012 has been a great year for my blogs- it's grown so much (thank you Twitter...) and I'd like to take the chance to say hello to all my new followers this year and thank you for joining my blog!

I hope you all have a great NYE and I'll see you all in 2013

Onwards and upwards!

xx

MAC Haul

Top Image- Left to Right Clockwise- Cranberry, Mulch, Woodwinked, Embark

As I mentioned in my previous post, I took full advantage of the fact that there is a MAC in Bournemouth. Even better, was the fact that it is inside a House of Fraser that was offering 10% off on that particular day. All the more reason to get my hand on some stuff!

I went with the intention of buying a x15 palette only to be told they had none as they were being redesigned, or something like that but they were still available to buy online. I said I wasn't bothered and that I would pick one up another time. I really want to start putting together my own palette as I only one Ricepaper at the moment.

These are the 4 shades that really caught my eye-

Cranberry- A red plum with shimmer

Mulch- A red brown with bronze pearl

Woodwinked- A warm antique gold

Embark- An intense reddish brown

They all come out fairly warm toned in the first photo but you can see the difference in the second. 3 of them are shimmery with Embark being the only matte shade, but perfect for using in the crease or to line the eye to avoid the harshness of a black line. They're all pretty autumnal colours, I've just noticed, but they all work well together as a colour scheme. And with my birthday coming up, I'm planning to get my palette and start adding to it.

P.S. Just a heads up, but I'm only 9 followers away from 100!

I know it's not many but it means a lot to me!

So in order to celebrate, when I hit 100 followers, I shall be holding a giveaway for a MAC lipstick of your choice!

 But if and when! I'm not going to force it!

My Best Red Lipsticks

Right to Left- MAC Viva Glam, MAC Ruby Woo, Natural Collection Cherry, Topshop Rio Rio

I thought I would share with you my favourite red lipsticks and my thought on them. I'm a big lover of the red lip so finding the perfect shade and staying power is crucial.

The first one is the darkest burgundy shade I have and suits olive skin tones very well. It's also perfect for the dark reds that we see around in autumn/winter. It is a very matte finish and has great staying power.

The second is the infamous Ruby Woo- if you haven't heard of it, where have you been?! This is my go to pillar box red. Best used with a lip pencil to line to get the perfect red pout. This is also a very matte finish and can be a bit drying to make sure you have beautifully smooth and nourished lips first!

Third is Cherry by Natural Collection which is probably my second most worn. The shape of the lipstick is different to the conventional shape so it make applying it much easier. It's also really smooth and doesn't dry out your lips which is one of the reasons I love it so much. However it does have a tendency to travel/ bleed especially after a few hours so use a liner to keep it in check.

Last but not least in Topshop Rio Rio, one of the first Topshop lipsticks that I bought. I'm a massive fan of Topshop lipsticks in general- they all have a gorgeous creamy formula and I'd really recommend them. Rio Rio is quite orange toned and probably the one I wear least. I consider it to be much more of a summer red rather than a warm autumn red. Does that make any sense aha?!

Anyway, I hope you guys are having a nice weekend.
I'm sitting here with a nice big cuppa trying to keep warm. The glories of student life, aye?

Follow me on Instagram- LeaDee9 and Twitter- LeanneDoutre

xx

Lipstick Of The Moment- MAC Fanfare Lipstick

I have absolutely been loving this lipstick ever since I got it and have been wearing it ever since. When I first saw it, I thought it would be similar to Chatterbox but as you can see compared, Chatterbox is much more blue toned and more vibrant (it is a Amplified finish whereas Fanfare is Cremesheen) It's much more muted and is perfect for everyday wear- a you lips but better kinda of shade!

Anyway, I just wanted to share my love for this lipstick at the moment.

I've been working through my lipstick collection, getting rid of shades I don't like anymore... So I can make space for some new ones... :P

xx

Back Home And Haul

Alice in Wonderland Shop. Giant Easter Egg. Yummy Ice Cream. Nearby Woods. Rockpools on my beach.

MAC Face and Body in N2. Hue Lipstick. Real Techniques Stipling Brush. MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow.

Vintage Silk shirt. Vintage Denim Shirt. And The Legendary Disco Pants.

I'm back home. I have said adios to uni for another month. My boyfriend came home with me for a few days and it was the first time he had met my parents but they got on really well.
We went into Brighton where we did a bit of shopping. And by we I mean me. But I was very good and stuck to the shops that I really wanted to go to and that we don't have in Southampton, which for me was mainly MAC, American Apparel and Beyond Retro vintage shop.


I love the vintage shops in Brighton and snagged a gorgeous deep turquoise silk cropped shirt as well as a denim shirt. And of course I got the amazing Disco Pants. And they really are good and just suck you in in all the right places. Nobody in my family likes them (typical) but James liked them because, I quote, "they make your arse look good"... but couldn't believe I spent £70 on 'glorified leggings'. Typical man...!


I also picked up Face and Body which I have wanted for a while. It's such a big bottle so definitely value for money but it is very very sheer. However, I do actually like this as it makes it very buildable and doesn't feel heavy at all (Like my Estée Lauder Double Wearer which I have started using more as a concealer. It works wonders with the Real Technique's Stipling brush which I was so happy to see as the Boots in Southampton didn't have them.
I bought Hue after seeing it be recommended various time by beauty bloggers and Youtuber. I thought it would be a bit warmer in tone so I have to be careful with it or else I verge on the concealer on the lips effect or just dead. It works really well with a nude lipgloss just to bring it out a bit.


So all in all I had a really lovely weekend. It's so typical that now that my boyfriend has gone home, it has decided to be sunny again. Sod's law isn't it!?! I'm also back to work on Thursday so I can earn some money to balance out the damage I just did to my bank account. It's been a very expensive weekend! My camera is being repaired again but it should be back with me soon! Fingers crossed!

How have your weekends been?

xx

Updated Lipstick Swatches

From left to right:

1. Rimmel Black Cherry (477), 2. MAC Viva Glam I A70, 3. Natural Collection Cherry Red, 4. Rimmel Heartbreaker (016), 5. Topshop Rio Rio, 6. Sleek Candycane, 7. Topshop Brighton Rock, 8. Topshop Pillow Talk, 9. Revlon Kiss Me Coral (750), 10. MAC Vegas Volt, 11. MAC Costa Chic, 12. Rimmel Spotlight Beige (910), 13. Sleek Barely There, 14. Topshop Rumour Has It, 15. Topshop Desert