Makeup Geek Dupes for the Batalash Palette

A few months ago the makeup corner of the internet was a-buzz with talk of the LE Saucebox Batalash palette.  8 shadows of amazing (!!!) quality chosen by the Batalash girls. I didn't think I was going to be able to get my hands on it but then it became available on a UK site and the rest is history.

As of writing this, the palette has been sold out in the US for quite a while now but there are still some left over at Cocktail Cosmetics for any European makeup lovers.

The shade range is great.  There's a range of warm and cool; matte and metallic; neutral and colourful.  The eye shadow pans are huge, 4g each (0.5g more than a Sugarpill pan).  My only complaint about the palette is that the copper and the warm brown are very similar in colour and I would rather have seen something completely different.

Because the palette was so popular and the shades work so well together, I thought I would try to dupe it with my Makeup Geek shades.  I was only choosing out of the colours I already own from Makeup Geek and was very surprised by how similar a palette I could create!  Read on to see the dupes in all of their glory.

My Duochrome Favourites

If you've read even a handful of my posts you'll probably know that I flipping love duochrome makeup.  It's my favourite finish every and if I find a new combination of colours then djashdwenfkn... I'm all over it!

If you're unfamiliar with the term duochrome it usually refers to a product that has a base colour and a different reflect colour; from one angle looking one colour but then changing when you move it.  Sometimes there are than two colours, but it's two more often than not.  Not to be confused with holographic which means it reflects rainbow (also looks amazing!)

Below are my favourite duochrome products for eyes, lips and nails.

A palette a day - week 3

A Palette A Day

The weeks go by so fast!  Week 3 of my Palette A Day challenge was definitely more of a neutral one, but largely is down to the palettes that got picked out.  It's all completely at random, they're written on pieces of paper and I pick one with my eyes closes.

If you want, you can look at Week 1 and Week 2's looks.

Read on to see what makeup mishaps I got up to last week.

London IMATS 2015 - vlog, haul, tips

On Saturday 11th July I went to the London IMATS, a massive makeup trade show, for the 3rd time.

I definitely get more organised each time which helps to make the day even more enjoyable.

If you are an MUA, makeup student or just and enthusiast, then it really is the event of the year.  For just this weekend all of these brands get together offering great discount alongside demos by famous MUAs.  Many of the brands are difficult to buy online in the UK so it's a really good opportunity to stock up.

Look of the day - Purple Galore

Purple galore makeup

Sooooo I just watched a video where the lady recommended not wearing everything purple on your face.  Well, I did it and I'm probably going to do it again.  Purple is one of my favourite makeup colours so earlier this week I wanted to do a monochrome look with it.  I really liked the outcome and am considering doing a monochrome series with a whole host of colours but I'm not sure...would anyone actually want to see a whole look centred around yellow or green etc?

As I was using mainly cool-toned purples I thought I'd warm my face up with some fake freckles, not sure if you can tell above?  There'll be a close-up below.  I do naturally have some faint freckles but they never come out very dark anymore as I don't get much sun exposure ever.  I'm not sure how natural these ones look but I like them, despite my husband telling me it looks like a tub of cocoa powder exploded on me.

Read on for a product run-down and more photos.

March Favourites

March Favourites

It's the end of another month so I thought I'd share my favourite products from the last few weeks.  A lot of them will come as no surprise as they've been featured on my blog already or on my Instagram page.

I've enjoyed wearing a lighter base more frequently this month; MAC Face and Body is the perfect sheer foundation that evens things out a bit and doesn't budge.  My Face and Body is slightly too warm but I can just about get away with it.  When I'm wearing a lighter base I want to spot conceal with something heavy-duty and the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Concealer has been the ideal partner for F&B.

Spring Darling tutorial

You know what they say, more is more.  After finishing the look for the contouring post I decided that I actually wasn't finished, and wanted to develop my turquoise winged eye look a bit more with red/orange underneath.  I am really pleased with the results so thought I'd give you a bit of a look and tell you all what I used to achieve it.

My favourite green makeup

My previous post on the greens in the new MAC Toledo collection got me thinking about other greens I have and love.  Most of them are quite bright as you can see.  Green is a more difficult colour for me to use and I don't feel it suits me that much.  I tend to use a smidgen of green in a look rather than green all over as I find that a bit easier.

Outside of make up it isn't a colour I like at all, no green clothes, accessories, stationary and furniture.  Oh no.  But then again, there isn't really a colour of makeup I dislike.

Let me show you my favourites.

OCC Loose Colours swatches and look

OCC Loose Colours in Twirl, Obscure, Oberon and Wasabi

About two months ago I bought some OCC Loose Colours, mainly inspired by reviews by people who had bought some of them at IMATS this year.  I am completely obsessed with all things duo-chrome at the moment so three of my four picks have that quality.
I bought Twirl, Obscure, Oberon and Wasabi,  Read on to see close-ups,  swatches and a look using most of them.

Halo Eyes with Step-By-step

Halo eye with Sugarpill

Halo eyes are quite a big trend at the moment, at least on Instagram.  It was only recently that I learnt the name for it. It's essentially having your darker shades in the inner and outer corners with your lighter colour in the middle.  It's a really interesting look and works really well with matte or shimmer, neutral or colour.  A word of warning; the darker colours you use, the more tired it can make you look.  It's also not particularly flattering if you have close-set eyes (like me! But I don't care). 

I'm going to show you how I got the above look, as well as showing some alternative halo looks.

London IMATS 2014

On the 28th June a friend and I went to London IMATS (International Makeup Artist Trade Show) at Olympia.  This was my second time to IMATS and I loved every second of it.  We had a 2am start for the 4am coach up from Cardiff.  Last year I was concentrating on buying for my bridal kit but this year, with a few exceptions, it was all for me.  While I like seeing all of the different stalls and trying new brands there, I mainly seek to buy things I already like but at show prices.

Colourful Cut Crease with Sugarpill

On Saturdays I like to be a bit more colourful that usual as I'm not in work, yay. This is a recent look, which I've called a cut crease for lack of anything else to call it.

I wish I had taken step-by-step photos for this look but I was not planning on making a post about it.  I didn't know just how well it would turn out!  I based it on a look I saw on Instagram that I really did not think I would be able to recreate successfully (unfortunately cannot find the original but if I do I will edit this).  I love the look and thought it would be pretty awesome to give a thumbs up to Sugarpill as they'll have a booth at this year's London IMATS, YES!

...It is so annoying when I don't realise there was a mascara smudge until I see the photos!

Shopping My Stash

May was a spending ban month for me. Ugh, torture, especially when certain websites have big sales on things I want (yes, I'm looking at you love-makeup.co.uk and feelunique.com) and Boots have their 3 for 2 offer on.  Despite that, I managed to stick to the ban and bought no make up. 

One of the ways I survive a ban month (I also did it this February) is to shop my stash.  This is when you go through all of your drawers to see what you've forgotten about and not used for ages. I thought I'd show you what I endeavoured to use throughout May.

My Favourite Spring Pastels

Illamasqua Tremble, Sleek Sweet Cheeks,  Max Factor Soft Pink

Spring is here, or almost anyway.  Our Bank Holiday was lovely and sunny and I may have ventured on a picnic, shame about the week of rainy showers since.  I'm a bit of a sun-scared weirdo who largely wears the same clothes all year round but when the sun comes out I do tend to change my makeup to suit.  Think floral mermaid unicorn and you should have the right colours in mind. Here are the products I like for cheeks/eyes/lips this time of the year.