A little bit of gold, a little bit of red, a little bit of sparkle — sorted. A Christmas cliché? Undoubtedly. But if you can't have fun with your make-up at this time of year, when can you?
The Best Cruelty-Free Lip Care Duo
Before I do anything these days I reach for Lush's Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Scrub (v), which is a new addition to their Christmas collection and a very welcome one at that. It smells — and tastes — delicious, with plenty of wild orange oil and hints of blackcurrant. The caster sugar gently buffs away dead skin so your lip products apply smoothly.I can't use any kind of scrub without moisturising afterwards and that's where Fairfield Gardens Raspberry Rose Lip Balm* comes in. LoveLula very kindly sent it to me and it's been a joy to use — it's nourishing but not at all greasy, with a subtle scent. One for the handbag.
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| Top row, left-right: Bellini, Negroni, Martini, Prosecco, Kir Royale, Mimosa Bottom row, left-right: Champagne, Spritz, Mai Tai, Cosmopolitan, Daiquiri, Manhattan |
The Adaptable Eyeshadow Palette
My favourite everyday eye make-up is the Sleek i-Divine Mineral-Based Eyeshadow Palette in All Night Long* (v). I reviewed this a while back and even wore it for my graduation, since the matte neutral shades are perfect for creating defined but low-key eyes.The shimmery shadows, in shades of gold, taupe, copper, and champagne, are a bit more buttery and can be built up if you're going for a look that's a little more glitzy. I like using the shade Daiquiri all over the lid, with the darkest matte shade, Negroni, blended in the crease and the outer third of the eye. Prosecco, the gold shimmer shade, looks beautiful in the inner corners and really makes your eyes look bright.
The best bit? The palette only costs £8.99 from Superdrug. Bargain.
Nude Lips or Red Lips?
On the left, we have Rosie for Autograph Lipstick in Supermodel Kiss, the perfect orange-based red.On the right, we have Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Bitch Perfect, a pretty nude that's pink enough to inject some life into pale skin.
I own a fair few lipsticks, truth be told, but a good red and a good nude always seem to stand the test of time. Both lipsticks glide on, don't cling to dry patches, stay on the lips for hours, and smell of vanilla cupcakes.
Honestly, which one I wear depends on how much I'm going to be eating (I have my priorities sorted) because I can't really choose between these two shades. Out for dinner or wearing heavy eye make-up? I'll probably stick with Bitch Perfect. Takeaway or homemade food? I'm more likely to take a risk and opt for red, because if it smudges (as much as I try not to be, I am a messy eater) it doesn't matter. That's when Supermodel Kiss steps up.
Everything In My Make-Up Bag
Just in case you were wondering what else I keep in my make-up bag, here it all is, artfully spilled out on my bed especially for you. The bag itself is from ASOS — I spotted it on Josie's Twitter and couldn't resist! (Lady and the Tramp is one of my favourite Disney films.)
Eyes and Brows: NYX HD Eyeshadow Base, NYX Brow Pomade in 03 Brunette, Sleek All Night Long Palette*, theBalm Schwing Liquid Liner, NYX XXL Mascara
Lips: Sugar Plum Fairy Scrub, Fairfield Gardens Lip Balm*, Charlotte Tilbury KISSING in Bitch Perfect, Rosie for Autograph Lipstick in Supermodel Kiss
What everyday make-up have you been wearing recently? What are your favourite festive shades? Let me know in the comments!
(v) = vegan
Note: Although NARS was a cruelty-free brand at the time of writing, they have since decided to sell their products in China as of June 2017 and therefore are no longer cruelty-free.
