MAYBELLINE GEL EYELINER REVIEW

Hello!

I recently purchased this gel eyeliner from Boots because I wanted to try one to see what the hype was about, but also because I wanted to see if I could have the patience of applying gel eyeliner as I've heard it's quite fiddly.

Many people have been raving about gel eyeliners for a while, but I've only just got one and opted for Maybelline's Lasting Drama gel eyeliner because I didn't want to spend loads on an eyeliner method that I may not like.

 This little pot of eyeliner cost £7.99 which may seem a lot for such a small thing, however it does come with a handy brush, and also a little bit of product goes a long way. Anyway, the packaging isn't all that special, but I wasn't expecting much considering the eyeliner would have to be stored in an airtight container so it doesn't dry out, but even then there's something really satisfying about holding a tiny china pot with a tiny brush.

As you can see, the eyeliner has a very shiny look to it in the pot, however when it's on the eyes it doesn't look shiny and creates a lovely looking matte line. Also, as the brush is very small and dense it makes applying the liner to your eyes quite uncomfortable because of the way the bristles are tightly packed which means it's harder to get a smooth line, but it is good if you want a very defined and sharp look.

The eyeliner definitely lives up to it's name with claims to last 24 hours, and also be waterproof following up with my recent experiment:

This is before I put water on, and this is after. As you can see nothing has leaked or smudged which proves it's waterproof, and even after scrubbing really hard no product came off of my hand. As you can see in the photos as well, you can create different thickness' of lines depending on the way you angle the brush which is good, but I still don't think it gives me the best look or makes using gel eyeliner any easier.

After trying this out for a few days, I prefer to use my L'Oreal Paris felt tip liner because it's less time consuming, and creates a nicer look-this is probably because I'm not skilled at gel eyeliner and haven't properly worked out a technique for me. However, as I love the formula of gel eyeliner so much, what I do is apply my L'Oreal felt liner as I'm used to that and can create a nice looking cat eye, then I apply the gel eyeliner on top and fill in where I put the previous line, so that I get the potential of a gel liner on my normal eyeliner.

 I'm still unsure as to whether replace using a felt liner for a gel eyeliner because I prefer the gel formula, but find it easier using a felt liner.

30 BEAUTY QUESTIONS TAG

Hello!

I haven't had enough time to prepare a post for today, so I thought I'd do this '30 Beauty Questions Tag' instead. Next week I should have something more interesting put up which has more thought into it, but I didn't want to miss a week.

1. Do you remember your first makeup item?

My first ever makeup item was given to me when I was 5 which was a makeup set, but at the time I didn't know how to apply it so my dad did. My first proper item was a mascara-I was in middle school at the time and we were only allowed a very minimal amount of makeup. I chose mascara because I have bleach blonde eyelashes and eyebrows, so looked quite gormless without any colour on them.

2. Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?

Mascara is such a tricky thing to master, but my all time favorite one is Benefit They're Real. The wand is plastic so doesn't appeal to everyone, but I feel that's what helps give my lashes a full, defined look which is what I am after in a mascara.

3. What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?

I don't wear foundation, but if I was to wear it then I'd prefer a light coverage as I would feel less cakey, and my skin would look more healthy.

4. Favorite high end brand?

My favorite high end brands are probably Chanel, YSL, and Mac.

5. What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven't? 

There's lots of brands I haven't tried out before, but I'd love to try NARS, Bobbi Brown, and Liz Earle.

6. Favorite drugstore brand?

I have quite a lot of Rimmel products so I like those, I also like Maybelline, and Bourjois Paris.

7. Do you wear fake eyelashes? 

Nope.

8. Is there any kind of makeup you can't leave the house without?

I couldn't leave without my eyebrows drawn on, eyeliner not on, or mascara.

9. What is your most cherished beauty product? 
Probably my Naked palette, and Mac vanilla pigment highlighter.

10. How often do you shop for makeup? Do you like to pick up an item here and there or get lots of goodies at once?

I don't go out on trips especially for make-up, but I find it hard to go out and not buy something beauty related.

11. Do you have a "beauty budget" or you spend freely? 

I do not have a budget, but I do go out with intention of only getting the things that I went shopping for so that I don't buy pointless products.

12. Do you utilize coupons, rewards cards and sales when you shop for cosmetics?

Not particularly, I have discount vouchers and receipts, but have never used them.

13. What type of product do you buy the most of?
I buy blushers, bronzers, and lipsticks quite a lot. These products can be changed to suit different Seasons which is why they're bought so frequently.

14. Is there a brand that you absolutely can't stand?

I don’t think there is a brand that I can’t stand, but I do prefer high end brands so much more then drugstore ones, and have more trust in high end products.

15. Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulfates?

I don't usually look at what a product contains, but if I did then I would want to avoid products containing horrible chemicals such as parabens or sulfates.

16. Do you have a favorite place to shop for makeup?

Personally, I love to shop in Debenhams for makeup as it contains all the expensive brands that I love, but some people prefer drugstore places to shop depending on the budget, etc.

17. Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?

I prefer sticking to a certain routine that I trust as skin is a big part of you and I'd rather not ruin mine, but I do sometimes try new skincare products and they are rather nice.

18. Favorite bath and body brand?

Soap & Glory, Espa, and Lush are the only ones I can think of, I'm not a massive bath&body brand lover.

19. If you could only buy from one brand, which brand would you choose?

 I would choose Mac.

20. What brand do you think has the best packaging?
Benefit definitely stand out when it comes to packaging, they are so cute and nice to look at. I also like Chanel and Mac because they're quite simple and chic.

21. Which celebrity always has great makeup?
Kendall Jenner.

22. Do you belong to any online makeup communities?

Shesaidbeauty

23. 5 Favorite Beauty Gurus

Tanya Burr, Katie Snooks, SWalker Makeup, CutiePieMarzia, Sprinkle Of Glitter, Zoella (6 favourites).

24. Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?

Not really, I usually find those multifunctional products pointless, and usually turn out to be pretty bad.

25. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

I'm not clumsy when I put on makeup, I take time putting it on and don't leave the house until it's blended in well, and looks neat.

26. Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?
Yes, I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion for my eyes. Even-though I don't use eyeshadow, using a primer keeps my eye liner on throughout the day.

27. How many hair products do you use on a typical day?

On days when I wash my hair, I use Macadamia Oil shampoo/conditioner, and L'Oreal Paris Extraordinary oil. When I use heat on my hair I use Schwarzkopf Guardian Angel heat protectant.

28. What do you apply first, Concealer or Foundation?

Concealer as I don't wear foundation, only loose powder and concealer.

29. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?

I would like to take makeup classes because I like the concept of it, but as I'm still in school it would be quite hard to fit them in.

30. What do you love about makeup?

I love how makeup can transform a face completely and make someone look how they want to, I love how it can cover up someones imperfections and make a person feel confident in themselves. Also, I like how there are endless possibilities on how you can look when using makeup, you can use it to make a natural face, or completely cake it on! (#deep)

 I tag anyone who wants to do these questions to do them!

OOTD : SMART CASUAL

Hello!

I haven't posted an 'outfit of the day' for about 7 months, so today I thought I should post one for my blog. I want to do Ootd's more frequently, especially because I like writing about my clothing choices, and showing off outfits that I like.

I wore this outfit to a friends gathering, the occasion wasn't for anything special, but I still wanted to dress up a bit and opted for this. If you read my 'Recent Purchases' you will probably notice that most of this outfit was in that post, so excuse the repetitiveness.

The Outfit:

Top: Papaya £8 (was long but I sewed it so it was cropped) / Scarf: H&M £6.99 / Necklace: H&M $8.99

Top: I wanted to keep my top half simple, and plain because there's obviously quite a lot going on with my trousers, however I added in this beige/gold scarf to tie in with my beige bag, and gold accessories. The scarf doesn't look too much, or clash with my trousers which is good, it just gives a nice touch. I've also worn the trousers and scarf with a black velvet crop top that also works well, I think anything bland for the top half looks best.

Trousers: Topshop £28

Bottom: As I had recently got these I wanted to wear them, and see how comfortable they felt throughout the night, if I liked them, etc, and I did like them a lot. These are incredibly comfortable because they're made of cotton and also have some elastane in the which adds a slight stretch to the fabric so they're easy to move in. Anyway, I love pairing these with plain things to make an outfit interesting, and as they're black & white they can be worn with any colour.

Shoes: Foot Locker £49.99 / Socks: Topshop £3.50 / Anklet: Devon

Feet: As I wanted to keep the trousers the main focus of the outfit, I wore a plain top which also meant I needed plain shoes. These all white Air Force 1's work so well as there is no element of colour in them, and also tie in with the white crop top. You could also wear more dressy shoes with this outfit, but I wanted to keep it partially casual which is why I opted for these. The frilly socks I wore are purposely grey and black to match the trousers and cover up my ankles, however they aren't extravagant enough to draw attention away from the main focus of the outfit.

Earrings: Topshop / Bracelet: Thomas Sabo £137 / Rings: Dorothy Perkins £6.50 / Bag: Topshop / Sunglasses: Forever21 £4.50

Accessories: I didn't go too heavy on the jewellery because then the outfit would be way too over the top, so I kept it fairly subtle with some gold embossed earrings, and gold midi rings to work with the scarf, as well as the beige bag which also contains gold hardware so also ties in with the jewellery. I wear my Thomas Sabo bracelet with every outfit because it's a special piece, however it went well with this one even though I was mainly going for gold accessories. I didn't wear the sunglasses much throughout the night because we were indoors, but I thought they added some class with the rounded frame which are on-trend at the moment.

I aim to try elements of this outfit with different pieces and see whether I can change things up to make it more formal, or more casual.

(Shoutout to mum for taking the photos)