Beauty Haul | Mac, Zoeva, Stila & Pixi

It's been ages since I posted a beauty haul over on the bloggles.  I must admit I've been quite controlled with the ol' purse strings over the past few months even though I'm waaayy overdue a little splurge, but I still seem to have accumulated a few bits and bobs (I'm a beauty addict after all).  On a recent weekend away in Liverpool/Chester, me and the boy ended up having a mooch around the Cheshire Oaks shopping outlet.  I'm not sure if any of you have ever been (really recommend!) but I was very much a fat kid in a sweet shop around the beauty store they have there.  They had lots of discounted beauty goodies including the likes of Mac, Bobbi Brown and Smashbox to name a few - and I have to say I really did have to restrain myself.  I think i deserve a pat on the back as I only walked away with a couple of Mac bits but let's just say - if I hadn't have had a little inward chat with myself about my bank balance, the results could have been disastrous! Anyway, here's some of the newest additions to my makeup stash this month...

Mac // Pro Powder Blush Pan in "Taupe' // Link

I'm swiftly running out of my beloved Illamasqua Contour palette and have been after a similar shade of blush for a while now.  I saw Mac's Taupe and knew it would be the perfect replacement. Again, I picked this up cheaper than the £15.00 it costs normally so it was a complete bargain!  It's a gorgeous contour colour which is just perfect for carving out those cheekbones and I know I'll get a tonne of use from it.

Mac // Eyeshadow in 'Woodwinked' // Link

Why on earth I haven't owned this shade before now I will never know - but Woodwinked is such a cult beauty blogger favourite and I'm chuffed to bits to finally have it in my collection.  I bought this to create a brown smokey eye look with on a recent evening out in Liverpool and it's so perfect. It's a lovely antique gold sort of shade which brings so much definition to the eye area.

Mac // Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Groundwork' // Link

I got this for £10 instead of the usual £15.50 at Cheshire Oaks.  I have to say it's never really been a main item on my wish list but after a quick swatch, I knew I had to have it in my life.  It's a gorgeous neutral beige/taupe colour with just a hint of sheen and is the perfect shade for everyday wear.  I've used this non-stop since I got it and I can just tell I'm going to get a tonne of wear from it.  It's so versatile too as it can be worn completely on its own or as a base for a smokey eye or to keep powder shadows locked in place for longer - which is exactly why I love the Mac paint pots, they're so long-lasting!  It's great to use on days I'm at work as it's so quick and easy to apply - I don't even need a brush as all it takes is a quick smudge/blend motion across the eyelid and I'm sorted for the whole day. Love it!

Zoeva // Luxe Petit Crease Brush // Link

I've had my eye on this brush for ages now.  It's perfect for creating precise definition in the crease of the eye and it blends eyeshadow like a dream.  It's so soft and easy to use.  The Zoeva brushes have received quite a lot of praise for a while now and I can totally see why - I really can't wait to purchase a set of them! I love the fact that each individual brush you buy comes in a little pouch too - so handy if you're taking them away with you on holiday.

Stila Smudge Sticks in 'Stringray' & 'Lionfish' // Link

After my smudge stick in 'Damsel' finally died a death, I set about finding a replacement as I simply cannot live without it.  It's more or less impossible to find the shade in the UK unless you purchase the 'In the Light' palette which is how i discovered it in the first place.  'Lionfish' seemed the closest match - a lovely dark brown with a hint of gold sheen running through it.  Usually I prefer a matte finish to my liners but to be honest, you can hardly see the shimmer in it once applied so it works really well for me and I'm totally in love with it.  I also picked up 'Stringray' - the matte black shade - as I'm partial to a black liner when I'm going for the smokey eye look.  I really do love the Stila smudge sticks - if you're after an eyeliner which doesn't fade, bleed or make you resemble a panda at the end of a long day then I really recommend giving them a whirl.

Pixi // Endless Silky Eye Pen in 'Black Cocoa'  // Link

Like i said previously, I've been on the hunt for a replacement for Stila's Smudge Stick in 'Damsel'. Pixi is by far the closest match I've found - it's a beautiful deep brown/black shade.  I love shades like these for the daytime as it's just slightly less harsh than black and seems to work better with my skin tone.  It's the first time I've tried these Pixi liners and I have to say I'm completely hooked! They're so incredibly soft and smooth to apply - super pigmented and really long-lasting.  They resist smudging really well too.  Worth every penny - I'll definitely repurchase.

Swatches L-R //  Mac Groundwork // Mac Taupe Blush // Mac Woodwinked  // Stila 'Lionfish' // Stila 'Stingray' // Pixi 'Black Cocoa'

So there we have it - just a few little treats I've picked up this month. The best purchase by far has to be Mac's 'Groundwork' - it's one of those products that doesn't look much in the pan but once you have it, you question how you ever lived without it! 

Have you tried and loved any of these products?

My Top 3 Eyeshadow Palettes

I hold my hands up - I'm a bit of an eyeshadow palette junkie. I've built up quite the collection over the past 4 years or so because I just think there's just something about owning a palette that's so much more practical than having a line up of singular shades. I love having a number of looks all available in one place and they're so easy to store and travel with.  I find it so satisfying to see them all stacked in a row (surely I can't be the only one...) and I always enjoy choosing which palette I want to use depending on what sort of look I'm wanting to achieve.  As the festive season is well and truly upon us, I thought it would be a good time to introduce my favourite eyeshadow palettes and explain a little bit about why I love them so much and exactly what I use them for. Personally, I'm a bit of a neutrals fan - the majority of my palettes are all filled with brown hues and shimmery nudes and are all suitable for everyday wear. Of course, it's going to depend on what sort of shades/tones you prefer and what colours seem to suit your skin-tone, but hopefully this post might give you a little inspiration if you're after a new palette to treat yourself to this Christmas (I know it's getting quite late on now but there's still time - and of course, there's the inevitable post-Christmas sale treats...) I also have full reviews and swatches of all of these palettes so I've linked these posts in case you want to have a more in-depth look at any of them. So, in no particular order...

Stila //  In the Light Palette // £25.00 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

Stila's 'In The Light' palette is a stunner to say the least. I really enjoyed using it over the festive season last year and I've used it throughout the year since. I love the fact that there's such an amazing range of shades for all occasions - the addition of the midnight blue also makes for a nice little twist.  I absolutely adore the consistency of these shadows - the majority of them are super creamy to the touch and incredibly pigmented.  I also love the matte shades - sometimes, I find mattes can lack in the pigmentation stakes but the 2 in this palette are really impressive and make for a nice base for adding a bit of shimmer.  The palette also comes with a smudge stick eyeliner (not pictured) which has become one of my daily staples.  Its seriously one of the best eyeliners I've ever used.

Favourite shades: 'Kitten' - a gorgeous champagne shimmer perfect for the inner corners of the eyes .. 'Sunset' because it seems to work really well with my green eyes and it worked really well with a tan in summer .. 'Bubbly' is a gorgeous versatile gold shade which will suit everybody and 'Bliss' is such a stunning shade for creating definition in the crease.

Urban Decay //  Naked 3 Palette // £37.00 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

In true beauty blogger style, I own all 3 of the Naked palettes.  Although I really enjoy using the first one, I have to say I think the third has beaten it to the top spot.  I didn't think I'd get on too well with the rose gold hues but they really do seem to work with my skin tone - especially through the colder months.  I love the mix of shimmers and mattes and each one is amazing in terms of pigmentation - Urban Decay really do nail it every time when it comes to colour pay off!  I love the range of shades in here as there seems to be a little more choice in terms of colour compared to the other Naked palettes - there's everything from a neutral barely there look, to an antique gold or dusky pink, right the way through to smokey browns.  I love the brush that comes with this palette too - it's double ended so it's much more handy for on the go as you get a standard eye brush along with a fluffier blending option.  The mirror is also bigger in this palette too.

Favourite shades: 'Limit' and 'Nooner' are gorgeous crease colours and are probably my most used shades out of the palette simply because they act as a lovely base for further colour or work perfectly on their own. If I haven't got much time of a morning, a quick dusting of either of these and I'm good to go. 'Burnout' is the perfect everyday shimmer - it's not overly glittery and the pastel pink hue has a brightening effect on the lids. 'Trick' is also a really unique antique rose-gold sort of shade.

Jane Iredale // Daytime Palette // £39.95 // Link // Full Review & Swatches

Ok - so as the most expensive palette of the 3 you're probably thinking is it even worth it? I thought this too when I first tried it but I can hands down say that this is my most used palette ever - the first four shades are used on a daily basis (particularly the peachy shade - I reckon I'm going to hit pan very soon).  These matte shades are so pigmented and a complete dream to blend - the white shade has a slight bit of shimmer which makes it perfect for highlighting the brow bone and for using in the inner corners of the eyes. They all look so natural and are incredibly long lasting - I can apply these in the morning and my eyeshadow will still be in-tact at the end of a long day. This was the palette I took on holiday with me this year, and it's also come on a few UK breaks with me - it's just my ultimate 'go-to' and it's perfect to carry around in your handbag too if needs be because its so slim and lightweight.   I also adore the smooth rose-gold packaging.

Favourite shades: All of them! The only shade I don't use so much is the black - I save this for nights out or for smudging under the lash line if I want a more subtle eyeliner look.  'Almond' - the peach nude shade - is my perfect blending shade. I use this daily and sweep from the crease up to the brow bone and it looks so natural and flawless. I then blend a little bit of 'Cappuccino' (the greyish taupe) through the outer crease to create a natural shadow, and sometimes blend in a bit of the dark brown, 'Dark Suede' into the very outer corners for extra definition. I often wear 'Oyster' all over the lid and sweep a little on to the brow bone to highlight and accentuate my brows. It's my perfect eye look in a palette and I adore them all - they compliment each other perfectly.

I really hope you've found some inspiration (if you don't own them all already - I know what us bloggers are like with our eyeshadows!) and of course, if you want to see swatches of each palette - don't forget I've linked them all within the post! 

What's your favourite eyeshadow palette? 

Stila | In the Light Palette

Stila | 'In the Light' Palette | £25.00 | Link

I know what you're thinking. Beth - how late on the bandwagon do you want to be?! In fact, I can't even see the bandwagon anymore I'm that late.  Stila's 'In the Light' palette was a firm favourite on many a blog a few moons ago, wasn't it?  Being the controlled, sensible blogger I am (haha, whatevs...) I resisted temptation and made do with the collection of palettes I already own.  I'm quite fussy when it comes to palettes - I only ever buy them if I know for a fact i'll use them (I'm not one for impulse palette purchasing!) and I usually stick to my trusty Urban Decay varieties.  However, Christmas rolled around. Motherbear began digging for hints regarding beauty goods...  I stumbled upon a pin on Pinterest of an eye makeup look someone had created using this Stila palette and all of those lustful feelings returned.  Needless to say, on Christmas morning - I was a happy girl when I unwrapped this little beauty. It wasn't an easy task to track one down before Christmas - I really struggled finding one anywhere and my mum was lucky enough to be able to have one sent to our local department store from London where there was only 1 available. Eek! But was it worth all that trouble of hunting it down...?

Well... YES! Of course it was! I adore this palette. I mean, just look at it?! There's something in there for everyone - from barely there neutrals, to pretty champagne toned shimmers and bronzes to full on smokey eye shades.  I really love the addition of 'Night Sky' - a beautiful gunmetal blue shade - it looks lovely against the warm, bronze tone of 'Sunset' - which happens to be my favourite shade out of the entire palette.  It seems to really set off the green tones in my eyes and I've been wearing it non-stop just recently.  I has a reddish undertone to it when worn on the eyelids and it really does look stunning.  Another favourite has to be Stila's ever-famous 'Kitten'.  I can see why this is such a raved about shade. It's perfect for everyday wear and looks lovely when worn in the inner corners of the eye to brighten and open up your peepers.  'Bliss' is also a beautiful shade - I love using this in the crease of the eye to bring some definition and warmth and it also makes for a lovely blending shade. 

Stila's eye shadows seem to vary in texture. The majority of shades in here are buttery soft and really pigmented - just what I look for in an eyeshadow.  They transfer amazingly well and show up pretty much true to pan.  The only one I was a bit unsure of  is 'Gilded Gold' - it doesn't seem as buttery as the rest and transfers much lighter on the skin than in the pan. But it's still a lovely antique copper shade and one that I will get a lot of wear from - I'm such a neutrals girl...  'Bubbly' is also a favourite of mine.  I love gold shades - and this one is lovely and creamy in consistency and transfers perfectly onto the lid.  The Stila Smudge Stick is also a lovely little addition to the palette. It compliments the tones in the palette really well and is perfect for adding definition to the eyes. Oh - and how cute is the quote on top of the mirror?! As a self-confessed Pinterest quote addict, it's a nice little girly addition and finishes off the whole palette perfectly. Never one to say no to a quote, me...

I'm so glad I finally got my bloggery mitts on this palette.  It really is a stunner.  I love the mix of shades and it's perfect for a neutrals girl like me! Aside from their cream blushes, this has been my first experience with Stila and I will certainly be looking into more of their eyeshadow offerings in future.  I love how all of their palettes have names and themes too! For £25.00 - it isn't the cheapest of eyeshadow palettes. But when you consider the fact you're getting 10 extremely wearable shades plus the addition of the smudge stick - it's really quite reasonable and it's one that's become a firm favourite in my collection.  You can find the Stila 'In the Light' palette on Feel Unique (link) and also on Beauty Bay.

Have you tried the 'In the Light' palette? What's your favourite Stila shade?