Kat Von D Beauty plus Blue and Purple Winged Eye

KvD Star Studded palette

 This is a quick post to show how I achieved the above look. I had no idea what I was going to do when I started with this look but on reflection I was definitely inspired by Dominique and Stephanie who I follow on Instagram avidly.  I really love a lower winged liner that comes out almost horizontal.  I like that it totally changes my eye shape and I also find it easier to get matching on each side than a higher wing.

I thought today was a good day to post this look at Kat Von D Beauty has just gone live.  It's a site when Kat shares her makeup line along with fan looks using her products (use #kvdlook).  I've been excited about this since she first hinted at it online.

I used the Kat Von D Star Studded palette which  I managed to get on sale at Sephora for $28 (just under £18).

Because it's now sold out I'll recommend similar colours you could use instead.

A Guide to Primark Mascaras

The 5 Primark mascaras

As far as I am aware, Primark sell 5 mascaras (plus occasionally a waterproof version of the Volumising Ultra Black).  I wondered how they differed in brush and formula so thought I'd give them all a go.  It wasn't too frivolous seeing at they 5 came to a grand total of £9.50.

I must say that I'm probably not the best person so road-test mascaras as I do have naturally great eye lashes.  They are long and have no problem holding a curl, plus it's very rare that they ever transfer down on me after the initial application and clean up.

Also, I should have taken photos of the mascaras without eyeshadow etc on but that would mean removing my makeup at least twice in a day and I have sensitive eyes so didn't want to do that.  So, sorry but you have to see past the rest of the makeup.

Blue Lips

If Instagram ruled the world there would be blue lipstick everywhere!  While blue lips aren't exactly on trend in the real world, makeup fanatics are all over them at the moment.  Whether you want to create some cool (get it?) lip art or are brave enough to rock them out in public, here is my guide to blue lip products.  Why do I have so many?  I'm not really sure, but the last photo proves at least that they are all very different colours.

Depotting Illamasqua Eyeshadows into a Z Palette

I love my Illamasqua eyeshadows, Like really love.  I rarely use just a quad for a look though, I like to mix and match between the quads and monos and it can all get a bit cumbersome and finnickity and so I find I don't use them as much as I would like to.  Enter the Z Palatte (and all others like it of course).  It's a magnetic palette with a clear top which you can store your eyeshadows in.  You can buy pans at MAC, Inglot, Makeup Geek etc but for other shadows it's a case of digging out of the packaging, or 'depotting'.  I had read and watched many tutorials on how to do this but was still daunted.  I tried it a few months ago with not the best success but last night felt determined to try again.  Armed with slightly different tools, it was a breeze...almost.

Read on for how I did it and what my final Z Palette looks like.

My Favourite Makeup Geek Shadows

Clockwise from top left: Unexpected, Stealth, Burlesque and Rockstar

I am so in love with Makeup Geek shadows.  I had seen them all over YouTube and Instagram so had a pretty good idea of what colours I wanted.  You order the singles and then arrange them in a palette yourself.  I have mine in a large Z Palette. I made my first order about two months ago so have done lots of playing.  I bought enough colours to made for pretty much unlimited combinations so I haven't been straying from them much.  All of the different textures blend beautifully and there are some really unique colours.  I highly recommend the shadows in general and I can't wait to get more.  I thought a great way to introduce them would be to show off my four current favourites,  I've loved using these colours together as well as with the other shades

Benefit Vs Maybelline Gel Liner Pens

Maybelline Gel Liner pen

 I was intrigued when I saw the Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner which is gel liner in a flexible nib.  It's quite expensive at £18.50 and I was pretty sure it was just a gimmick so wasn't willing to splurge.  Enter the Maybelline dupe, the Lasting Drama Black Shock Gel Liner (why all the long names?) which at £8.99 I was willing to try.  

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot blush set

So good my cat just demanded to be included.

The trouble I had getting this set! Okay, I exaggerate, it was only about half an hour of hurriedly walking around but at the time it seems like beauty life or death.  All the effort was for this, Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot which contains 6 of their powder blushes and 1 cream highlight.  As soon as I saw the first images of this online I was excited as I've only tried one of their blushes before.  I went to to get it as soon as it came out, at the end of September but it was already sold out in our Boots and Debenhams but I struck gold in House of Fraser. 

Enough babble, see how good it is for yourself.