Tanya Burr Neutral Ambiance | First Impressions

I knew I wanted to try this collection as soon as I saw it. I mean look at these colours! Totally stunning and nothing like I currently have in my collection. I've tried a few things from Tanya Burr Cosmetics before, I like the Pink Cocoa lipstick, I love her matte lipsticks but I didn't get on with her Hollywood Eyeshadow palette. I didn't think the pigment translated onto the eyes, but as soon as i saw this palette I knew I had to try it. So, I bought the eyeshadow palette in My Paradise and the lipstick in Sunday Walk. The packaging on both matches the rest of the range, which I really like on the lipstick, sturdy. But I wish the eyeshadow packaging was thinner, that would just make it perfect because it closes nicely and the mirror is a nice touch.

For this first impressions I really wanted to give you a thorough review. So, I'm going to split it into two sections, swatches and throughout the day. So let's get into it!

L-R: Champagne Cocktail | Tranquility | Miami Sunrise | Hammock
SWATCHES
Starting with the lipstick. Very soft and creamy. When I applied it onto the back of my hand it felt moisturising but that it was going to stay on my lips for a while, unlike Pink Cocoa which is very creamy but is gone from my lips within the hour. I love the colour, very pink but a soft pink that I think on my lips will pass as a nude. These eyeshadows are stunning. They really do look like a sunset, very rose gold and I can't wait to put them on my eyes. When swatching the shimmery shades (Champagne Cocktail, Tranquility and Miami Sunrise) they were really pigmented with one swipe and give off a gorgeous sheen. What I will say is on my arm, those three shades are very similar. They might look different on the eye but that was just what I noticed when I first swatched them. The one thing I am wondering about is Hammock. It's a ashy matte brown which I think will look lovely in the crease but when I swatched it I was quite disappointed. It wasn't coming up as pigmented as the shimmer shade but I do find that can happen with matte shades. The proof will be in the pudding when I test it on my eyes.

Sunday Walk

TEST

I applied my makeup at about 7.30am in the morning before I set off for work. I wanted to make sure I gave the eyeshadow the best chance at staying on my eyes so I applied Mac Painterly Paint Pot as a base and then went over that with the Laura Mercier Translucent Powder. I first applied Champagne Cocktail on the inner part of my lid, packing it on with a Mac 242 brush. I then used Tranquility on the second half of my lid and took Miami Sunrise in my crease with a Mac 217. Finishing off, I used Hammock, also on a Mac 217, on the outer corner of my eye. The eyeshadows were nice and pigmented and there was literally no fall out. I'm still not sure about Hammock as a shade, it looks really nice with the rest of the eye look but I'll have to give it more of a test I think.

I 'checked in' with my makeup every two hours from finishing my makeup at about 8pm.

*Something to note about this day is that it was very warm, like 26 degrees warm*

10am // Eyes: Look just as good as when I applied it, no change.

Lips: After a bagel and a cup of tea a lot of the lipstick has worn off, there's still a little bit of pigment hanging around but not loads. May have to reapply soon.

12pm// Eyes: Can start to see it wearing away on the inner part of my crease, which is where my eyeshadow usually wears away first. Other than that though it still looks great.

Lips: One more cup of tea later and the lipstick's all gone now, I'll have my lunch then reapply.

Lipstick reapplication: 1.10pm - Reapplied nicely but there was pretty much nothing left on my lips

2pm// Eyes: Just a little bit more wearing on the inner crease but as I said that's usually what happens with my eyeshadow throughout the day. I'm still pretty impressed as it is a VERY warm day today.

Lips: Looking good, it's 50 minutes since I reapplied and it's looking good. I've only been drinking water but still intact. Loving the colour, really natural.

4pm// Eyes: As I said before it's looking a little greasy on my inner crease and the shadow has pretty much disappeared from part of it but on the rest of my lid it's still totally there and when my eyes are open there's no way you would be able to tell that some of it had rubbed off. It wouldn't be too hard to touch up either if I wanted to.

Lips: The shine has gone but I have to say the pigment is still there. I've eaten an apple and drunk some more but it's looking not too bad

6pm// Eyes: It has started to wear off on the rest of my lid now. Still looks fine when I open my eyes but you can tell when they're closed. The outer corners still look great though.

Lips: One Magnum later and it's pretty much gone but there is a tint of pink that's been left behind. Not too bad for a moisturising lipstick.

Reapplication: 6pm - I touched up Champagne Cocktail on my inner lid and although it took quite a bit of blending it looks just like it did this morning. I also put a little bit of Tranquility on the centre of my lid, it hadn't really warn off there but just to blend it in more to Champagne Cocktail. Also, reapplied my lipstick but this time I used the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk as I'm going out for tea and I want to see how long it lasts with something to cling to.

8pm// Eyes: The same. Just as I'd reapplied.
Lips: Eaten a starter and a main and drunk some wine, the lipstick has gone so just the lip line remains. I have to say I'm a little disappointed, thought it was going to stick around a bit longer with the lip liner.

THOUGHTS
I love the eyeshadow. It sticks around just as long as some of my high end eyeshadows do, which for £5.99 is pretty great. The shades are also gorgeous, although I am still a bit unsure about Hammock but as I said it worked really well with the rest of the eye look. I love the colour of the lipstick and that it does look like a more spring 'my lips but better'. The only issue is that if I have a drink or eat anything I can pretty much guarantee it's not going to be there. I'm going to try it with a different lipliner or applying it with a lip brush to see if it could last just a little bit longer. Overall I'm very pleased with them both - definitely want to try the My Escape palette now!

Making the most of a relaxing bath

I love a good bath. No I REALLY love baths. If I'm bored, I'll have a bath, if I'm home alone, I'll have a bath, spare hour, you get the picture. It's just nice to hop into a nice warm bath with some YouTube videos and give yourself a pamper. Here are the products I like to use when I step into the relaxing bath world.

Let's start with candles. A bath is not a bath without a candle. I normally burn four non-scented tea lights, put two at the end of the bath and two on the ledge that sits behind my head. For scent I then light whatever candle I have on the go. When this photo was taken I was burning All is Bright by Yankee Candle but my current candle is The Body Shop Hawaii Kukui. I love the scent of this candle so much, I just wish it burnt perfectly flat and not in steps. I've tried everything but it won't burn all the way across! Bubbles make a bath for me. I love a good lush bath bomb as well (I recently tried Dragon's Egg and it was just a citrus delight) but bubbles are what make it special. After Christmas I made sure I stocked up on The Body Shop Frosted Berries Foaming Bath. It makes beautiful big bubbles and gives off the fruity scent all throughout the bath which I love because this is one of my favourite Body Shop scents.

After sitting in the bath for ten minutes I give my face a bit of a pamper. I make sure I cleanse my face before I start with The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil then scrub my nose with the Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It to get rid of the dirt on my nose. I then apply a face mask, usually a mix of two Origins masks, Out of Trouble and the Clear Improvements. They give my skin an intense clean and bring out any impurities.

After 20 minutes, and usually a Lily Pebbles video later, I wash off the mask and start with my least favourite task, exfoliating. I love it when I do it, I'm all about soft skin, but the thought of doing it just makes me tired and lazy. When I do remember to scrub I use the Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub. It is seriously scubb-y and smells amazing, like pure sugar and sweetness. Hair wash time! My hair wash of choice at the moment is L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology, a shampoo and conditioner that's meant to thicken fine hair. It's good and I'm enjoying using it but I can't say I've seen that my hair is noticeably thicker but it cleans it and doesn't make it greasy which in my book is a win win. I've been using the Soap and Glory Clean On Me Shower Gel and I have to say nothing else lathers like it. It makes me feel super clean and (CAUTION: TMI) it gives me a really good shave and leaves my legs super soft. To finish off the bath I just have one final relaxing moment and it's time to get out. Did I mention I just love baths!

I'd love to try some more bath products so if you have any recommendations for bubbles, bath bombs or oils please let me know!

The foundation so good that I bought two

I think I've finally found my perfect foundation that gives me everything I need. In January I spontaneously bought the Revlon Colorstay Foundation in the lightest shade they had, 110 Ivory, and instantly fell in love. I'd heard good things about it before but assumed it wouldn't be matte enough for my skin as at the time I was using the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation. However, the first time I used it lasted all day. All. Day. Without it separating or rubbing off. I was pretty amazed. This was the start of a serious love affair that is still happening.

I forgot to mention this is for the combination/oily version of this foundation and not normal/dry. I also have dehydrated skin which can be quite oily.

This is what I'd call a true liquid foundation if that makes sense. So instead of being slightly thick and mousse-y like the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Matte or really runny like the Bourjois CC Cream it sits in the middle. This means that when I apply it to my skin it gives me the medium to full coverage I like in a foundation but it sinks into my skin instead of sitting on top. It creates a smooth canvas on my face and when I use it I notice the rest of my makeup applies a lot better. Throughout the day I do still have to blot a little to remove any excess oil but I'm definitely not a sweaty mess by the end of the working day, which I sometimes find when I use my beloved L'Oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation. Now, if I'm having a particularly oily day, the foundation does rub off a little but it's not nearly as bad as it could be. So although it's not a miracle worker, it's pretty close!

Anyway, on to why I have these two shades. I've started to dabble in fake tan, a world which I'm totally involved in, and I needed to get a foundation I can use when I'm a little bit more tanned. It was a no brainer that this was the foundation I would choose as it is by far my favourite at the moment. I chose the shade 180 Sand Beige, two shades up from my natural skin tone shade. I was going to go just one up, which would have been Buff, but I didn't know if that would have been dark enough. I'm glad I went with Sand Beige as even though it is quite a bit darker it means that when mixed with Ivory I can create the best colour I need for how tanned I am at the time.

Do you love this foundation too or is there another one you think I should try? Let me know!

Left to right: 110 Ivory | 180 Sand Beige

The most Instagramable Coffee place - Tamper Coffee

This place was one of the most cool places I've ever been. Cool in the fact that I imagine cool bloggers to go there, have a latte with a fancy pattern on the top and instagram a perfectly flat-layed photo. Oh the dream! Anyway, my brother shared this little gem with me and my mum when we went to drop him off at university. It's called Tamper Coffee and is on Arundel Street.

It looks like nothing from the outside, just a wooden door that you would walk past without giving it a second look. But as soon as you step inside it's like you're hit with cool vibes. So much wood and exposed brickwork, I love it! There was also such a buzz inside it was full of people, weird when we had just come from a dead quiet street. We had to wait about five minutes for a table but everything else came super speedily.

It serves breakfast and then lunch from 12pm but there's a lot of crossover on the menu. There was a decent amount of choice, something for everyone without leaving you overwhelmed. I went for a hot chocolate and an eggs benedict, you could add smoked salmon or bacon but I wanted to try it in its 'original' form. Tick number one for this dish, perfect poached eggs. I think you can always tell a good place by their ability to cook poached eggs. Tick number two, it came with bubble and squeak. I am ALL about bubble and squeak and it was a nice addition that gave the dish just an extra pinch of tastiness. The hollandaise sauce was delicious and the muffin that everything sat on was soft and doughy. The only thing I would say about it is that there was a heck of a lot of spinach, and I like spinach, so I did take some of it off. Other than that I have to say I was very impressed and it was a delicious experience. Not much to say on the hot chocolate front other than it was really nice, not overly sweet but also not sickly. A good, simple hot chocolate.

If you're ever in Sheffield then I would definitely recommend checking this place out, especially if you want a good instagram or you're hoping cool vibes will rub off on you (no, just me?).

If there are any more places, preferably in the northern area of the country, that serves delicious food but will also do my instagram some good then please let me know!

I built my own NYX palette! First impressions

I was so excited when I walked into Boots in Leeds and they had the empty palettes for the NYX single eyeshadows. Every time I've been in they've always been out of stock so I thought I would jump at the chance and make my own quad to test out the eyeshadows! I've heard good things about the NYX eyeshadow palettes before, their Ultimate Shadow Palette's in particular, but I've not heard much about these. Colourwise I wanted to get shades I would use but also maybe ones that I don't really have already. I decided to go for the full proof quad formula, highlight, crease, jazzy colour and outer edge.

At the Boots I was in there was a massive selection of shades but I found it quite hard to find a shade that I would be able to use as a base colour, on my brow bone and in my inner corner. They were either a bit too dark or bright white. I finally settled on Innocent, a shimmery cream that's on the warm side. Swatching this I found it really pigmented and soft but not totally buttery. Using a Mac 217 I applied it all over my lid and up to my brow bone. There was no fall out and it gave a lovely sheen to my lid. It's an eyeshadow I'll be using as a base but also on its own on top of my Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Jean.

I wanted to get a crease colour that would work for everyday and that I could build up for something more smokey. I also wanted something matte which I found quite difficult to find when there weren't any testers but I settled on Suede. It's a really nice light matte brown that gives a natural shadow in the crease. It took me quite a while to build up but it wasn't really an issue and when I gave it a good test it lasted all day. It will be such a useful shade to have and I'll use it with a smokey eye, something more natural and in the crease with guilt trip on the outer edge with winged liner.

I knew that I wanted a 'jazzy' colour to make my palette a bit more lively, and that's where Showgirl comes in. In the pan it looks like a shimmery red, it also looks like that when it's swatched, but on the lid it actually comes up more orange. Nevertheless it's a gorgeous colour! Swatched on the hand it is very pigmented, but on the lid it takes a bit of building to get an intense colour. But it looks gorgeous on the eye and the colour didn't fade throughout the day so it's a winner in my book!

Guilt Trip is my final shade and another versatile one. I wanted a dark shade to use on my outer corners and to define my lash line. It's an ashy brown that would work really well in the crease of a darker smokey eye. There's no fall out with this colour and it doesn't smudge throughout the day, which I sometimes find with other 'darker' shades.

Overall I'm pretty impressed. I've always wanted to be able to customise my own palette but was a bit weary to spend a small fortune to start off with. This cost me £14, £4 for the palette and £2.50 for each of the eyeshadows. The palette itself is cardboard so I don't know how long it will last but the eyeshadows are held into place by a magnet and when the lid is closed they feel secure and not like they're going to fly out and smash everywhere. I would totally recommend these eyeshadows, especially if you want your own customised palette but don't want to pay top dollar.

I'd love to try more eyeshadows from NYX so if you have any recommendations please let me know!

L-R: Innocent, Suede, Showgirl, Guilt Trip