Severn Wishes One Year of Blogging and Big Giveaway

♡ One Year of Blogging, Over 100 Posts Celebration and A Giveaway ♡

When I realised I was getting close to a year of blogging I knew that I wanted to hold a giveaway to thank everyone who has been supporting me this far. Whether you follow me on a social media or you just read my blog regularly, it’s you who have helped me to be a better writer and photographer. I have been collecting items for this for quite some time, so I hope you’ll like the selection that I’ve gathered…

I have been so lucky in my first year, I have worked with many companies including Spectrum Brushes, Gift Company and many more. Not only that but I already have so much lined up for the Spring and Summer of 2017 to share with you all as well.

During the past thirteen months of Severn Wishes being live, I have posted more than 105 articles, most have been reviews and reveals, but other posts have been about my Lifestyle and Travel experiences.

During the next year I hope to continue writing in my honest fashion and to bring you even better photography as my knowledge and learning increases.

What can you expect over the Summer months from Severn Wishes?
Jewellery, Makeup, Homeware, Games, Fashion, Cooking and Craft posts, and so much more besides.
I am already speaking to some companies who want to collaborate with me, and I cannot wait to bring all of this excitement to my blog for you all to enjoy!

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting me and my blog.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

✩♡✩♡✩ Giveaway ✩♡✩♡✩

Without further ado I am going to tell you exactly what you can win in this new and latest Severn Wishes giveaway!
If you saw some of my recent posts you will have read the clues that I left revealing some of the items you could win!
Featuring Soap and Glory, Primark, Nivea AND Makeup Revolution!
I give you my One Year Giveaway bundle!!!!

✩♡✩♡✩ What You Can Win ✩♡✩♡

✩ Marble Soft Cover Bag ✩
✩ Nivea Lip Butter – Vanilla and Macadamia ✩
✩ Soap and Glory – Super Tonic ✩
✩ Makeup Revolution I ♡ Unicorns Unite Mini Gem Brushes ✩
✩ ‘Flawless’ Makeup Mirror and Keyring ✩
✩ Heart and Stars Hair Bands Selection ✩
✩ Marble and Rose Gold Stationary ✩
✩ Wooden Craft Flowers – Be Creative ✩
✩ Lots of Sweet Treats – Yum! ✩

 If you don’t know the drill by now click the link below to enter on rafflecopter, and all of the terms and conditions can be found at the end of my post!

♡ Good Luck! ♡

Severn Wishes One Year Blogging Celebratory Giveaway!

✩♡✩♡✩ Enter Here ✩♡✩♡

✩ Sabrina 


Terms and Conditions
This competition is running from April 23rd until May 31st 2017.
The winner will receive their prizes in June 2017.
This giveaway is only open to entrants from the UK.
Severn Wishes reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason, and all entries subject to verification.

Primark Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Stationary Haul

Primark Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Stationary Haul in April 2017

On my most recent trip to my local Primark I found so many lovely items I just felt the need to share them all with you. As most of you will know Primark always go all out with their clothes, there’s always a huge supply of sizes and colours of tops, jeans and footwear, to name but a few.

I was after some new t-shirts for the summer (hopefully we’ll get a decent one this year) and when I came across a couple of other things I knew I just had to have them. I learnt a long time ago that if you see something you want or like, and it’s available to you, both in your budget and your situation of course, then you should purchase it. No point in going back a fortnight later hoping it will be there, because in my experience it very rarely is!

So what can I talk about first, I think I should show you my new tops, and when I say they have a range, I mean there were around one hundred different slogans and pictures and designs, so much that it took you a while to go through them all. They also have varying styles and necklines which I will go into more detail about below.

Summer T-Shirts

Here is my list of t-shirts from the images above, the prices ranged from £2.00 – £3.50.

Navy Blue Feathers – Stretchy Vest

Green Daisy Tee – Slouchy Top

Green French Quotes Butterfly / Moth Design – Crew Tee

Grey Paris and Eiffel Tower ‘J’adore Paris’ Design – Crew Tee


White with Red Stripes and Black Sketch Hearts – Crew Tee


Navy Blue and white heart symbol and ‘Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit’ – Crew Tee

The details on several of these t-shirts were the reasons behind getting them. Especially the ones that have a design covering the entire piece of material. I also love anything with either French wording or something Paris related on it.

The Crew Tee style is a rounded neck which has short sleeves, they are usually true to size especially on the shoulders and arms, although there isn’t much difference in waist between a 6 and an 8. I purchased both sizes this time around.
The Slouchy Tops often have a more casual feel to them, slightly less fitted and have three quarter length sleeves, I can often wear two sizes in these as well.
And the Stretchy Vests have no sleeves but often have the higher levels of detail on them, often thicker material and they are definitely true to size.

My Overall Average Review Scores for All Tops Mentioned

Value for Money 4/5
Fit To Size 5/5
Comfort 5/5
Detailing 5/5
Durability 4/5
Appearance 5/5

Overall I am very happy with my purchases. I think if you’re between sizes it can be difficult to choose something that will suit you, but I think the range that Primark supplies is one that can usually be accessible to everyone. They don’t discriminate whatsoever and ensure they stock their exact same tops available from sizes 4 to 20 (that I have seen in my local store).

These tops always wash and wear well, and when they do eventually fade they are easily replaced with a new design, Primark never fail to have enough choices.

I look forward to using these tops in a variety of outfits this year, and they are perfect still to layer up as it gets colder in the Autumn. Keep a look out for me wearing them in my social media.

Such Pretty Shoes

Next I want to show you these incredibly great looking ballet or ballerina shoes (or as I like to call them dolly shoes). They came in a range of metallic colours but I preferred these three, aren’t they fabulous?!

As you can see the colours are vibrant, they have had improved comfort inside this year (thanks Primark!) and they have such cute details with the bows and beads on the front. The bases all have a little grip and they have small heels as well.

If that wasn’t enough to draw you in then perhaps the price will. At just £3.50 a pair! I think they are some of the best Dolly Shoes on the high street right now! (I always get mine in Primark or New Look).

Available in Silver, Gold, Space Grey (I sound like I’m giving out the iPhone colours right?) as well as Metallic Purple, Pink and Blue. They also had a Nude and a Black shiny shoe too.

So a part from looking amazing what did I like about these enough to buy them. Well, I live in this type of shoe during the summer months. They go perfectly with dresses, skirts, shorts and jeans, and these colour choices are so versatile too. Also if you’re heading away this summer, they are lightweight and almost flat, easy to slide into your suitcase.

My Review Scores

Value for Money 5/5 !!!
Fit To Size 4/5
Comfort 5/5
Detailing 4/5
Durability 5/5
Appearance 5/5

These shoes are all (in my opinion) fitted to size and are great value for money. So far they have been durable with very little wear and tear on the base, I have walked almost 10km in one pair since I got them, and a part from the usual bits that stick to the bottom of your shoes, no visible wear of the soles. They are comfortable to wear too, although easy to scuff so be aware of that and where you’ll be wearing them out to. The general appearance is very nice, the details on the Gold and Space Grey with the little beads are very sweet and grab your eye. Shame that the Silver didn’t have any too, so they loose a point for that. I really have enjoyed purchasing and testing these for review, now I just have to hope for some sunshine!

Overall I think these are great shoes, the range is excellent and I would consider getting more when these wear out or if more colours become available.
My final score for them averages at 5/5 and I can recommend you taking a look when you’re next at your local store.

Accessories

Finally on to the accessories, I bought this cute headband in the hope of doing some creative hairstyles with my curly locks on a summer afternoon, weaving the floral hair band in them. Here’s hoping, isn’t it sweet! I’m not going to any festivals this year, but this would also be perfect for that if you like that sort of thing.

Mermaid Flower Headband £2.00

Here are my scores…

Value for Money 4/5
Comfort 4/5
Detailing 4/5
Appearance 5/5

A very nice item that I would wear again, and I hope to make use of it over the summer.


Primark Stationary

I was impressed with the range of items in my local Primark this month. The range was massive but I just chose a few items, some are for me to keep and some are for upcoming giveaways I am holding. There were these gorgeously soft ‘pencil cases’ in marble, but I am using my one as a eyeliner holder. I have many pencils and to stop them getting battered by larger items in my two makeup bags I thought why not have a small case just for them. Because they are long like pencils this works brilliantly.
The marble notebook is stunning, I could use it as a background for macro photography of small review-able items as well.

The other set is a Union Jack one, I haven’t used them yet, but I love that it represents Great Britain, I am proud to be British, that is basically why I got them. They will be used as blog backgrounds in images I think.

Before I show you my detailed images, here are the prices for anyone wondering.

Marble Pencil Case / Makeup Bag – £3.00
Marble ‘A5’ Notebook – £2.50

Union Jack Flag Pencil Case (flat)  – £2.00
Union Jack Flag ‘A5’ Notebook – £2.50

✩ (Look out for my next Giveaway for a chance to win something featured in this blog post). 

Until the next time I decide to do some shopping (which let us be honest is usually once a month at somewhere or other), then thanks for reading this review post. If you have any comments or questions feel free to post them in the section below 🙂 Have a wonderful day!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Click Here for Primark Site

Makeup Revolution December 2016 Advent Calendar, Unboxing and Full Review

The Makeup Revolution 25 Window December 2016 Advent Calendar

I think I underestimated how long it would take to photograph, test and evaluate all of the products contained in the December 2016 Makeup Revolution advent calendar. Saying that, not only have I thoroughly enjoyed trying things out and learning more about them, but it’s been fun to open something other than tiny chocolates on the run up to Christmas!

So it’s taken me a while to write this post and complete all the images I needed for it (and by a while I mean it has taken weeks of photograph, both taking and processing and swatches and product testing). Weather (for lighting) and health (I have had two very nasty bouts of colds in the last 6 weeks) have also been against me.
So I do apologize now for the video that I made, I am still uploading it because I put so much effort into it!!! But the quality isn’t that good, so you have been warned! I wish I had a soft box! I will place the link at the end of the post for those who want to see it. But the main thing is that I truly hope you like my photography, I have spent many hours on these images…

Where to start! I will begin by telling you all how impressed I was with the way in which the products were packaged, and how fabulous the design of this calendar was, even though there was nothing hugely special about it. The black and rose gold colours made it stand out and it wasn’t over the top like some brands are. You would have thought it would have been heavier too, but the whole set was contained in a large stand-able box, with a fold in the centre so it could be stood up or lain flat as well.

The nature of the rest of my post will be to go through the items within this years calendar (2016) and to give each item the attention it deserves. It will be numbered by how it came out of the box, and if I have used it the item will be reviewed individually. Any product information will be contained in the photographs, if you would like further information on anything please leave me a comment declaring the question and which number of item.
After all of the 25 items have been listed, I will give an overall impression and opinion of the best products. And finally I am going to end with some swatches and colour correct photographs for you.

Full ​List Of 25 Items

1. Lipstick – Beige in Colour

A very nice colour of lipstick, one I will use again.

2. Brush – Foundation

This brush can double in use and is easy to store and clean because of its size. It has white bristles with a subtle hint of pink from the centre. Looking more glamorous than you would think for the price, it’s an ideal item for handbags.

3. Anti Shine Balm

4. Strobe Balm

5. Lipstick – Hot Pink

6. Brush – Face Brush

This brush is great quality and has lovely soft bristles. Great size for your handbag or for taking on holiday. The rose gold is a lovely addition for a little glamour.

7. Baked Blush – Hard Day

8. Lipgloss

9. Lipstick – Nude in Colour

A great neutral shade of lipstick, ideal for many looks.

10. Mono Eyeshadow – Paper Luxe

A wonderful pale eyeshadow which is ideal for layering looks and a great base coat for eyelids.

11. Lipstick – Purple

12. Eye Primer

13. Bronzer

14. Mono Eyeshadow – ‘New Tral Red’

Such a nice shade of red, it had great staying power through a whole day and I was impressed with the quality.
2g Pot of Eyeshadow.

15. Compact Mirror – black colour with slogan ‘join the revolution’

16. Baked Highlighter

17. Lipgloss
A nice girly pink shade of lipgloss, easy to apply.
18. Brush – Eyeshadow

A lovely little brush, great size for doing eyeshadow on eyelids.19. Mono Eyeshadow – Velvet Luxe

A beautiful deep purple shade which is glittery.
Great travel size.
2g Pot of Eyeshadow.20. Mini Angled Brush

Perfect travel size brush, soft bristles.

21. Baked Blush – Bang Bang You’re Dead

22. Liquid Highlighter
23. Lipstick – Deep Red
24. Lipstick – Cherry Purple

25. Redemption Palette

Contains 12 Colours ranging from a silver/white through browns and golds to black (see swatches below).
Staying power was very good, tested over an 8 hour day. The darker colours were more visible, easily blend-able.
Contains a double brush inside the palette.
Only weighs 14g so ideal to carry around or on holiday.

There was only one thing missing from this wonderful variety of makeup items, and that was a makeup bag to put it all into!

The Items I Am Most Impressed With

The three items that I have enjoyed the most from this advent calendar are the Redemption Eyeshadow Palette, the Mono Eyeshadow Pots and the Mini Brushes.

You cannot go wrong with Eyeshadow Palettes and I love that the pots are small enough to go in my makeup bag when I travel. Being brunette I wear a lot of dark coloured clothes, so the Mono Eyeshadows I received within this calendar are perfect for me to use with my regular looks.
The brushes are ideal for travel and handbags due to their length and the quality is very good. Not only are they soft but they are also firmly set in shape. A regular use for when out and about, two of them can also double in uses for both face and eyes, very handy if you’re short of space in your bag.
Overall these items have been the best in my personal opinion, and I’m still working up the courage to give the balms and the highlighters a go.
Two of the lipsticks aren’t the appropriate colours for my skin tone, but could be ideal for fancy dress parties, so they won’t go to waste.

When you look at how many items you receive for the price paid, I think the calendar is an excellent idea and a great way of trying things new. What you can use for the money as well, is pretty excellent, there isn’t anything that I definitely won’t use ever. And if I find I won’t I can always gift them away to friends and relatives who would use the products.

So let me talk about the colours in this calendar, I am now going to show some swatch photographs of the lipsticks and the eyeshadows. I know that some colours won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it’s important to outline what you are getting, and packaging sometimes gets in the way of that. I will show Lipsticks, Two of the Mono Eyeshadows, and the Redemption Palette.

My Overall Review is 4/5

Value for Money 4/5
Quality of Products 4/5
Variety Included 4/5

Thank you for reading this review today, I hope that you have enjoyed the post and the many many photographs too. I had a lot of fun making them!
Anyone who would like any further information on any of the products please leave me a comment. You can check out the Makeup Revolution website the link is below, as is the link to my video.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Check out the Makeup Revolution Website here https://www.tambeauty.com/en/Revolution-Makeup/b-6.aspx

Check out (sorry for the quality) the products video over on my YouTube here https://youtu.be/0LGSWk_3k0Q

Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler Review

Today I am bringing you my review on the latest Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler. I have naturally curly hair, but it is not curly all over, more curly at the ends. I treated myself to this styler before Christmas when I saw it on sale, and thought I would give it a go.

As someone who adores having naturally curly hair, I’m always on the look out for products and tools to make my look better. With that being said, I can be quite lazy some days, and don’t do a lot with my hair, for anyone who has curly hair, you will know it needs a lot of maintaining. So I’ve decided that in 2017 that will all change, I don’t want to take my curls for granted, I want to look after them, and on ‘bad hair days’ I will style them appropriately.

I use all manner of curly haired products, and I have a wonderful Remington Pearl Wand Curler from around five years ago that I still absolutely love. But the curls I add with that tool just compliment my already unique curls, and I was looking for a bit of a change.

What do we get with the Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler? How easy is it to use? And, Is it worth the money?
First you need to ask yourself if the look you want, is what this tool will give you. Tight curls and defined spirals, and quite a bold look. When I did mine the first time I then took twenty minutes trying to tame them because it looked like I had had a perm, or a mild electric shock 😉
The great thing about this styler is its versatility, for both short and long hair, because the barrel is skinny and easy to manipulate through the hair. One thing to watch out for though, I found you needed to unravel the hair once you had placed the curl on the tong, it won’t just pop off once you let go. Be aware of how long you’re holding the hair in place. My thin hair only needed 5 seconds before I started to unravel it, and medium hair I would recommend no longer than between 7 and 10 seconds.
The chopstick heats up to 200’c which is salon temperature, but for me I would’ve liked a way to alter it. On previous stylers like my pearl wand, it has an adjustable heat, and I normally don’t use over 160’c for my hair type. Make sure you’re using a heat protective spray no matter what the temperature!
The barrel might be skinny, which allows for more defined curls, but that also means you have to separate more hair strands, use less per curl, and therefore it’s more time consuming to use this tool. Bear this in mind if you only have a short time window to get ready.
I was happy with the price that I paid, in a sale, under £18, but you have to ask yourself if you’ll be using this product or will it just be for parties a couple of times a year…
(Retail Price is often around £19.99).

Here is a photograph of me once I had curled my hair with the chopstick. I chose to take the first 4 strands either side of my head and pull them back out of my face, and have their defined curls falling at the back of my head. It took me around 50 minutes to curl all of the hair on my head.
I was happy with my look but not sure about how much length I lost doing such tight spirals. I think with practice and some teasing out of the more spiraled curls, it would look a little better. This styler is long so I was able to curl far up on my head without doing strands in two parts, this was a thumbs up moment for my long hair.

Facts about the Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler
Ceramic Coated with unique Rectangular Barrel
On and Off Switch with LED Light Indicator
(Almost) Instant Heat Up – Salon Heat to 200’c
Swivel Cord and Hanging Loop
Chopstick has a Cooling Tip and Safety Stand at base
(When Registered) 2 Year Guarantee with Lee Stafford Electricals

My Thoughts
I loved the skinniness of the barrel of this tong, for small defined curls
I liked that it was almost instantly ready for use
But I didn’t like that there is only one heat setting at 200’c
I really liked the length of the barrel, long enough to curl my long hair
I wasn’t keen on having to ravel and unravel every curl, very time consuming
What is great is the 2 year guarantee with Lee Stafford
What could be improved would be the colour, because not everyone likes pink
I would love to see changeable heat settings and a smoother barrel in the future

There are pro’s and con’s to this tool, and only with trying one will you know if it’s right for you or not. I am glad that I bought this styler and I will be using it in the future. It isn’t the best styler that I have purchased, however it will get used, I do like the looks that can be created, but practice is needed to perfect the best look for yourself.

Thank you for reading this review today, I know my thoughts won’t be the same as other peoples but that is the nature of a review, and honesty is the best policy.
I hope that if you have had any stylers over the Christmas holiday that you will be testing them and creating unique looks for yourselves.

If I have inspired you to get a Chopstick styler then you can find Lee Stafford products at most retail stores and larger supermarkets, or search the keywords to find the best prices online.

Sabrina

Tanya Burr Cosmetics 12 Days of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar Unboxing Reveal

At the beginning of December I was lucky enough to win a 12 days of Christmas beauty advent calendar from Tanya Burr on Twitter.

The prize arrived on day 4 of the calendar windows, so I made the decision to wait until the weekend came around, and then I filmed my opening of the whole cosmetics calendar in one go.

If you would prefer to watch my video on YouTube rather than read and look at my photography, then you can follow this link here to the unboxing https://youtu.be/8FeK72dnSo8

I was very impressed with the style in which this particular calendar was presented. There was huge attention to details and I liked the little touches that have been added to make it feel more special, such as the glitter and the silhouettes. Even the cardboard was decorated throughout to give a Christmas feel, such as the backs of the windows. With each day you opened you felt as though you would be getting a little present. It was exciting to open, and I also tried to avoid looking at other peoples on social media so my surprises were not ruined because I had to catch up on my windows.

On the back of the box it has the list of contents of what was contained inside, without any important details. So I will be giving you the individual products names and colours and more information, so if you like the look of something you can go and get it yourself and know what it is that you’re after.

Without any more rabbiting on let’s get to the full list of items that were found inside this fabulous 12 days of beauty advent calendar.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics – 12 days of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar – full list of contents

Day 1 Lipgloss – Candy Cane – Sparkly Pink
Day 2 Nail Files 1 turquoise and 1 pink
Day 3 Compact Mirror in pale turquoise
Day 4 Eyeshadow Shimmer Pot – Champagne Sparkle
Day 5 Lipgloss – Berry Pavlova – Berry Red
Day 6 Nail Polish – Glitters and Gold (Gold)
Day 7 Glitter Eye Liner – Silver – Ice Crystals
Day 8 Eyeshadow Shimmer Pot – Snow Day
Day 9 Matte Lip – Christmas Stocking – Christmas Red
Day 10 Glitter Eye Liner – Gold – Treasured
Day 11 Nail Polish – Sleigh Bells (Red)
Day 12 Nail Polish – Glitter Rain (Silver)

I hope you have enjoyed the reveal of this advent calendar, and if I use and am impressed with any of the products in the future then I shall do a follow up post.

Wishing all of you who celebrate it, a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you for supporting the Severn Wishes blog.

Sabrina

Sephora in Paris Purchases and Review

In October I went to Paris with my best friend who is a makeup artist. I took her advice on products as I went around Sephora with her on the Champ Elysees. I treated myself to several lovely items, some pencils, and a gorgeous makeup bag, as well as some makeup remover, all of which I am very happy with the quality of.

I sampled some great perfumes while I was at Sephora too. I placed the sticks into my bag, and it made all of my purchases smell gorgeous!

I was very lucky as well that when I mentioned I was a blogger while paying, I was also given some samples from Nuxe to test. Once thoroughly tested I will be doing a separate blog post on them.

The makeup bag/pouch was €12.95 and has a very attractive Paris skyline design. It’s a good size too, and I use it to store my eye makeup.

Here are the sample swatches of the pencils that I bought (top to bottom).
Sephora crayon contour eye pencil no26 ‘suede shoes’ (navy blue) 12 hour wear, waterproof at €7.95
Sephora crayon contour eye pencil no33 ‘love affair’ (purple/brown) 12 hour wear, waterproof at €7.95
Sephora crayon yeux mini eye pencil to go no8 (dark grey) at €4.95

The pencils are excellent quality and are easy to apply due to the crayon texture. I’m very pleased that I got them, and I used them for my Halloween makeup this year.

I thoroughly enjoyed my shopping experience and the products I bought from Sephora.

I hope you have enjoyed this beauty post, thank you reading today.
I would really recommend a walk into Sephora if you find yourself in Paris, it’s an incredible store filled with great products and incredible brands too.

Sabrina

A Day With A Makeup Artist

I’m lucky to have a best friend who is also a makeup artist. She is so good at what she does and the advice that she gives out. So what I thought would be great, would be to bring the advice to my followers, in the form of Questions and Answers and products that she recommended and used on me. We planned a weekend together, to catch up and talk makeup, and this is what happened…

day-at-aber-megan-and-sabrina

The image below is of me once I had had my makeup done by Megan. I wanted a subtle look, not much contouring and a smokey eye. The products that she used to create this look were;
Skin – Garnier BB Cream, Rimmel Stay Pressed Powder, Makeup Revolution Highlighter and Rimmel London Blusher
Eyes – Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 and Soap and Glory Kohl Pencil in Brown
Eyebrows – Soap and Glory Brow Archery
Lips – Rimmel London Lipstick – Kate shade

sabrina-october-2016My Questions

While Megan was applying my makeup I asked her a couple of questions. I have been neglecting my eyebrows (for makeup) for years and Megan has made me realise that it isn’t as scary as I thought to shape and apply makeup to them.
When choosing an eyebrow makeup what do you recommend for your clients to look for?
Megan says; Always look for a brand who do a pencil with waxy consistency which clings to your eyebrow lashes better than a powder, for a more even look and longer lasting.

I struggle to choose lipstick for myself and I wanted Megan’s honest opinion on what product to choose for my skin tone.
What lipstick to go for to achieve a natural look?
When choosing a lipstick that you want to be natural looking (Megan says #MLBB #MyLipsButBetter) choose a colour no more than one shade darker than your natural lip colour. And to ensure staying power, apply a layer and then blot thoroughly, before applying another layer.

Something I have had for a while (from a goody bag I reviewed months ago) is a highlighter that I have never used. I wanted to know how I would go about experimenting with this product.
Where would I begin to apply my highlighter?
When applying a highlighter always place it on the tops of your cheekbones, and the top of your Cupid’s bow. Some of these products can be applied dry or wet (with fixing spray) but you’re aiming for a look that enhances your natural features.

Superdrug Mini Haul

Once Megan had done my makeup we headed out to get me some items that I was missing for my makeup bag. And I also picked up a new varnish to strengthen my nails, I have quite brittle ones during the cooler months.
The main items I bought were, a Superdrug Flutter cosmetics sponge, a new lipstick (I chose a ‘Kate’ shade from Rimmel London), my first ever eyebrow pencil and brush combo from MUA, and also the Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Eyeliner (so I can be brave and try new things).

superdrug-haulI was most impressed with the MUA eyebrow pencil and brush, easy to apply and soft. I can imagine me using it again, especially when applying a full face of makeup.
I also appreciated Megan’s help with choosing the lip colour, it is currently my staple favourite.

***

FAQ’s – A Day with a Makeup Artist

Hello Megan, and thank you for joining in with my blog post today.

Thank you for having me.

What is your most asked makeup question from your clients?

The most common question I get asked is, “Am I doing it right?” or “What is the right way to do it?” Makeup is an art rather than a science and to me there is no “right way” to do things. If you look in the mirror (after application) and feel fabulous then it’s right for you!

Is there a particular brand that you use yourself that you could recommend people to try?

It’s important to remember that no one brand will do everything perfectly, so using a variety of different brands is best. Experimentation is key to a great makeup wardrobe.
Personally though my favourite brands are Urban Decay – their eyeshadows are some of the best, No7 – have fantastic lipsticks, and Estee LauderDouble Wear Foundation is my holy grail makeup item.

Which part of your own makeup routine do you spend the longest amount of time on?

My Eyebrows. So often forgotten but the difference between a good look and a great look is your eyebrows. They frame and shape the face and can bring the whole look together in an instant. So don’t forget your eyebrows people!

Which skincare brand do you use?

By far my favourite skin care brand is La Roche Posay. It has a massive range of products designed for any skin type or complaint, they are all designed to work with even the most sensitive skin as well.

And finally, a question that I personally have always wanted to know the answer to (because I struggle to apply my own makeup well).

What is the secret to great looking makeup?

Skin care, skin care, skin care. Drink lots of water, cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin. Because if your skin looks great then you’re already half way there! Then any makeup that you choose to do, from winged eyeliners to smokey eye looks, will always look amazing.

Thank you very much for answering my questions today Megan, and for doing my makeup of course!

You’re very welcome.

***

Here is another image of my makeup look from today, perfected by Megan herself. If you like the look please feel free to leave a comment.

day-at-aber-one-proc-swIf you want to follow Megan on social media for great makeup tips and photographic posts then please click on the links below to see her various pages.

Thank you for reading this blog post today and I hope, like me, you’ve learnt something new and useful for your own makeup routine.

Sabrina

Makeup by Megan on Twitter https://twitter.com/MakeupByMegan2
Makeup by Megan on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/makeupbymegan121/
Makeup by Megan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missmegan_121/

 

Review of Elizabeth Arden Products from Dave Lackie

elizabetharden01Recently I was especially lucky to win some Elizabeth Arden products all the way from Dave Lackie in Canada. It’s always exciting to get post but more so when there is an airmail sticker on the front!

Inside my package my prizes consisted of a large pink makeup/toiletries bag and two lipsticks. The lipsticks were from the beautiful colour bold liquid lipstick range from Elizabeth Arden New York. I don’t own anything of this brand so I was excited to see the colours and test the items as well.

The bag was of excellent quality and a great size, it is ideal for weekends away where you need a number of toiletries. I like that it’s branded also, I didn’t own anything with Elizabeth Arden on until I won this competition. The bag is bright and is made to a high standard with an inner seem that runs along the base to ensure long lasting uses.

Both lipsticks I won were of a type I hadn’t tried previously, with a flocked tip applicator, which was soft and allowed for an even coverage when the lipstick was applied. Also the texture of this kind of liquid was soft and its colour was of high intensity (more so in the pink). The final look is more of a gloss than a lipstick, and I found that the staying power was greater than a matte kind. Another good thing about the sponge and the click (in order to apply the product), it gave out the perfect amount of liquid in order to coat the lips. I like how the shape of the applicator felt comfortable to use and the way in which the entire lipstick is shaped was complementary to its unique style. This range of Elizabeth Arden lipsticks also contain glycerin and emollients which moisturise the lips adding softness for a more comfortable wear.

lipstick-arden-sw lipstick-arden-2-swI prefer the more nude and brown shade of lipstick, the pinker shade just doesn’t go with my complexion sadly. However the brown compliments both the colour of my skin and lips, and enhances my natural look. See for yourself in my swatch and application on my lips below.

lipstick-swatch-swlipstick-swHere are the two swatches and lipstick shades next to one another, as you can see a complete contrast, one subtle and the other vibrant. They are soft but have great staying power, a lipstick that looks like a gloss.

arden-lipstick-swatches-swI want to thank Dave Lackie for holding such incredible competitions on both Twitter (where I won) and on his blog. If you wish to check them out for yourself the link is below http://davelackie.com/

Thank you for reading this short review today, thanks again Dave, and I wish all of you luck with any competitions that you enter in the future.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Limited Edition Urban Decay Eyeshadow Vault Review

urban-decay-01I was extremely lucky recently when I won another bloggers competition where she was giving away a Limited Edition Urban Decay Eyeshadow Vault. I didn’t own anything like this so I was amazed at the quality and the amount that I received in this prize.

urbandecay-sw The vault was rather heavy when I unpacked it, and it was displayed in such a professional manner, with a sleeve covering the box. I was pleased to find inside 20 individual eyeshadow pots and the vault itself decorated in a unique way. The lid even stays up by itself! I will list the pots and names with colour variants later on in this post, but for now I want to review the box as a whole.

Inside this special vault there were 20 eyeshadow pots, each of these contain 1.5 grams of eyeshadow inside. 10 pots are Original shades and 10 are Moondust collection shades. As a whole this assortment of colours is a staggering ensemble of some of the best Urban Decay has to offer. Many are of a darker base tone but I prefer this look when creating eye makeup anyway.

It seems to me it’s well worth the money if you’re into high end makeup and want a set that will last you a long time. The quality in each of the pots is incredible, each professionally finished with the logo, and they are sturdy too, ideal if you wanted to keep them outside of the vault box.

urban-decay-03I won this incredible looking vault as a prize, which was a collaboration between Urban Decay and the blogger Michelle at her blog Thou Shalt Not Covet (link at the end of this post) but this Limited Edition vault is worth approximately £195!

I know you’re desperate to know what shades the eyeshadows are and what kinds too so I will now show you the 20 full sized pots and their names.

The first 10 pots are from the Urban Decay Original range of Eyeshadows, these are;

urban-decay-pots-1-sw

Blackout – Black matte shade very dark
Lounge – Sea Green with hints of Purple
Mildew – Moss Green with hints of Gold shimmer
Mushroom – Grey matte shade with a hint of Purple shimmer
Rockstar – Purple base shimmer shade almost an Aubergine colour

urban-decay-pots-3-sw

Last Call – a deep Pink / Purple shade in shimmer
Scratch – a stunning Rose Gold mix of pink and subtle Grey and Gold shades
Busted – a mixture of Brown and Purple shades and shimmer
Sellout – almost pale Pink, not dusky but not pink pink, and a hint of Gold shimmer
X – a lovely Peach colour with a hint of Gold shimmer

The next 10 pots consist of Glittery Eyeshadow from the Moondust collection, these shades are;

urban-decay-pots-2-sw

Scorpio – Black base with a Gold sparkle
Zodiac – Black base with a Dark Green shade with hint of Blue
Vortex – Black base with hints of Green and Gold
Moonspoon – Dark Grey base with light Silver glitter
Shockwave – Deep Berry shade with Pinks and Purples with a hint of Blue

urban-decay-pots-4-sw

Solstice – Deep Red base with hints of Pink and Green glitters
Space Cowboy – Peach with a light Silver glitter
Dark Force – Brown base and bright Gold glitters
Interstellar – Gold base with hints of subtle Pink glitters
Cosmic – Dusky Pink and White Glittery Shimmer

All of the shades are lovely, some are rather dark and others have a very pink orientated shading. I personally prefer the darker tones because I like to create smokey eyes. So many are grey or black based which is ideal for making this look, and with the variety of sparkles it easy to create stand out looks that last all day.

urbandecayswatchesMy two favourite shades out of this whole collection are Solstice and Rockstar (swatches above). I love how deep and vibrant these two colours are, one red based and one purple based.

swatch-02-swHere is an example of the size of the pots in my hand.

urban-decay-02These pots are great for taking away with you if you plan to wear one shade of eyeshadow for a weekend for example. The convenient sizes and shapes make for easy transportation in makeup bags, then you can store the whole vault together in the mean time. Though I now need to get a bigger makeup drawer after getting mine!

I have done a short video showing the size of the vault and the pots while giving my opinions, check it out on my YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/DOqJNeGN__Q

urbandecay2-swThank you so much for reading this review, I have been impressed by the quality of the Urban Decay Eyeshadows, and I want to thank Urban Decay and blogger Michelle for the opportunity I had to win this great prize. You can find the links to the websites below.

Urban Decay website http://www.urbandecay.co.uk/
Thou Shalt Not Covet blog http://thoushaltnotcovet.net/

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Sabrina

swatch-01-sw

Dorothy Perkins Summer Sale Haul – Review and Styling

dp-summer-sale-haul-swOn my most recent store visit to Dorothy Perkins I picked up a few items in the summer sale. Three bargain vest tops in three floral colours and designs. Two pairs of capri ultra soft jeggings, and a floral bomber jacket.

bomber-jacket-dorothy-perkins-sw(It had to be a changing room selfie because I was so pleased with my finds).

Bomber Jacket Styling; Capri Skinny Jeans in Peach to match the sleeves of the jacket, black vest with floral design to match the flowers on the jacket front. You can pair this with flats or sandals or a nice pair of summer shoes. The bomber jacket is a staple piece of fashion for your wardrobe and I wanted to invest in one while they were on trend. I adore floral patterns so this was perfect for me.

bomber-jacket-dp-swBomber Jacket styling; Black skinny jeans and a blue floral vest, a casual look to be worn with flats or trainers. This is ideal for a cooler summer evening and ideal for Autumn layering as well. The jacket is great to brighten up plain clothing if you’re after a feature piece. Bomber jackets are all the rage right now and many on the high street have a floral design, if you want to stay on trend I can recommend you buy one. They circle around in fashion as well, so try and get a good quality item that you can revisit in a few years time.

Reviews of all items purchased in the sale;
Floral Bomber Jacket / Floral Vest Tops / Skinny Capri Jeggings

Quality 4/5 – 5/5 – 4/5
Value for Money 4/5 – 5/5 – 5/5
Wash and Wear 4/5 – 5/5 – 4/5
Appearance 5/5 – 4/5 – 4/5

Overall the materials that Dorothy Perkins use wash and wear well, though I find that after a few wears the jeggings colour can fade a little. Being the top end of petite I can wear the capri jeggings and find they are not too short, which means I can still wear them in the winter with boots, which means I’m getting a year round use out of them. Something to consider if you’re tall and buying capri, you may only be able to wear them in warmer months.
The vest tops wear the best, they don’t adjust in size either which shows good manufacturing. They are soft against the skin and comfortable to wear too. Vests are great as statement tee’s and also great for layering as the cooler months set in.
The bomber jacket material is a little more delicate but it’s so stunning when worn that I don’t mind taking the extra care with it. It’s comfortable to wear and it’s an ideal length for my torso. I found the arm length to also be satisfactory and the jackets zip was good quality too.
The items I purchased in the sale were good value for money when reduced and I would definitely look again at the sales because I nearly always go home with some bargains like these.

Thank you very much for reading this review today. As most of you will know DP’s is my favourite high street store, so if you like reading these posts then look out for more fashion reviews coming soon.

Sabrina

Link to clothing on Dorothy Perkins site http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/category/clothing-203535/view-all-clothing-5952052/N-1zadZc1y?No=0&Nrpp=20&siteId=%2F12552&cat1=208600&cat2=3418033