Saturday, 28 September 2013

Makeup Brush Haul :)

Hi guys :)


I recently discovered the website cloud10beauty.com and after eyeing up way too many things I decided to place an order! I have been lusting after some Sigma brushes for about two years now but it's just too expensive for the postage from the US.. So when I saw that cloud10 sold Sigma I was very excited! 

The items are very reasonably priced and the range of products is excellent! The main brands that I was excited to see were Kardashian Beauty, Sigma and Sleek Makeup. They have a points system which gives you money off future purchases and you get 200 points for just signing up.. With free delivery over €50 I just couldn't resist! I was almost shocked when my packaged arrived on Friday morning (I placed my order on Wednesday night!) and I was so impressed with the postage service. I thought I would get some brushes to begin with and then maybe order some more products in the future! Enjoy :) 


#1 Sigma Round Top Kabuki F82 :


I have seen so many Youtubers and Bloggers give this brush a great review so this was number one on my Wishlist! I have used it twice already and I love it so far. It is so dense and it blends makeup very nicely without absorbing all of the product. I might do an in depth review on this in the future but for now I'm very pleased :) 


#2 Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge :


I was so excited when I saw this product on the website.. I've wanted a Beauty Blender for so long so I thought I would give this a try and see if the sponge application lives up to the hype! I liked the look of the interesting shape and is think this was the item I was most excited to try. I have tried this once so far and I wasn't crazy about the application it gave. I wet the sponge before I used it but it gave quite a sheer application and I felt like it absorbed almost all of my foundation! I did like the shape for getting into corners and I loved the way it blended in my concealer. So for now I have mixed views but hopefully I'll find a way to work with this sponge :)


#3 Sigma Small Tapered Blending E45 : 


Oh my goodness.. I have used this brush twice and I already know that it's going to be one of my favourites! I will definitely be ordering more of these next time I make a purchase from the website. It is amazing for getting right into the crease and giving a precise blend. I am so impressed with this brush! 


#4 Sigma Performance Blending E36 : 


This brush is a lot smaller in real life than I expected it to be! It is not very dense and it has hardly any bristles. However, it is excellent for precise blending like under the eyes! I don't know if I would buy another one of these brushes but I'm pleased to have this one in my collection :) 


#5 Sigma Duo Fibre Powder/ Blush F15 : 


I was attracted to this brush because of it's shape. I love applying blusher with a duo fibre brush and I was really interested by this rounded tip one! I used this today and it it was so perfect for blusher.. It is the perfect size to apply to the whole apple of the cheek while giving a diffused, blended look! I don't think I would use this for powder because it wouldn't give enough coverage for me but I would definitely recommend it for blusher :) 


Thank you so much for reading :) 

Love Shannon x


Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Makeup Wishlist/ To buy list :)

Hi guys :) 

I've recently been making a list of products that I really want for myself and my make up kit. I thought I'd share them with you all and see if you had any thoughts :) Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on these soon.. I've wanted some of them for years! Enjoy :) 


#1 MAC Blusher (Frankly Scarlett) :



I heard Tanya Burr or "pixi2woo" talk about this in a few of her videos and I thought it looked so amazing on the skin! I have read some reviews and they're all positive so I'm looking forward to having this in my collection! 



#2 Sigma Synthetic Kabuki Kit : 


Once again, I have heard and read so many reviews on these brushes and it's clear that people love them! These look like a more dense version of the Real Techniques 'Buffing Brush' (which I LOVE!) so I'm really excited to try them out. I want to get the full set of the larger brushes so I can try out the different shapes because I don't own anything like them already! 


#3 The Original Beauty Blender : 

I follow them on Instagram, I look up reviews almost everyday, I NEED one of these! I'm so interested in trying a sponge to apply make up instead of a trusty old brush. Nobody has a bad thing to say about this product! I've wanted a Beauty Blender for about six months now but it's just so hard to get my hands on one in Ireland :(


#4 Make Up Forever Flash Palette :



I have wanted this for absolutely ages.. Almost two years I think! It just seems to be so versatile and I've heard that the staying power is excellent. The reason I have put off buying this is because of the price. It's just a lot of money to pay for one product but one day I will give in!


#5 Lime Crime Babette Lipstick :


I don't own any Lime Crime lipsticks but this will definitely be my first purchase! This seems to be one of the most popular colours and it looks quite unique. Looking at swatches of these lipsticks, they look very opaque. Hopefully I'll be able to do a review soon :)


Thank you so much for reading! If you have any recommendations of some drugstore products please leave them below :) 


Love Shannon x


[instagram : @shannonbowes]

Monday, 16 September 2013

Review : Beauty Uk High Brow

Hi guys :)


I decided to do a review on this brow definition kit after using it for about two weeks. I bought it in Superdrug for £3.99 (I think!). I'm not sure if it's available worldwide though.. I'm sorry!



I really like this product.  I've been lusting after the HD brows kit for about three years now but I just can't seem to get my hands on it :( So when I heard about this I had to give it a try! 



I was watching a video thepersianbabe had on YouTube and when she compared it to the HD brows I couldn't get to the drugstore quick enough! The kit comes with three brow powders, a wax, a tweezers and a double ended brush (one side is angled and the other is squared). 


Light brown powder : 


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I love the brow powders. The formula is quite creamy and not powdery at all. The lightest colour is the least pigmented of all three colours. I love using this to fill in the front of my brows because it makes it so easy to create an ombré effect. 


Medium brown powder : 



I'm most impressed with this colour! I usually find that all drugstore matte brown colours are very warm and they tend to make the eyebrows look quite red but this one is definitely more cool toned. I use this powder to fill in the rest of my eyebrow. It's very easy to work with and it has great pigmentation. 


Dark brown powder : 



This is the most pigmented powder in the whole kit. It's very dark brown - almost black in colour. I sometimes use this to outline the arch of the brow but only when I wear a full face of makeup as it makes the eyebrows look too harsh. 


I love the range of shades that come with this kit and I think it's amazing value for money. I don't have any other kits like this so I can't compare but I definitely recommend giving it a try! I think this will be a firm favourite for a long time :) Thank you so much for reading! 

Love Shannon x


[Instagram : @shannonbowes]

Friday, 13 September 2013

My MAC Blusher Collection

Hi guys :)


I thought I would do a post on my MAC blusher palettes. I don't really wear blusher on a daily basis but it's nice to have a few in my collection to use on other people or to use when i go out! I've tried to collect a good variety so that I will have at least one to suit every skin tone. I hope you enjoy :) 


#1 Style : 


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This blusher reminds me a lot of NARS 'Orgasm'. I would describe it as a peachy pink with gold shimmer. It is a frost finish. The shimmer is quite metallic and very obvious. I would use this lightly on the apple of the cheek and I think it would look really beautiful on tanned skin. 



#2 Springsheen :


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This blush is a lot like Style, however, the base colour of Springsheen is a lot more sheer making this a better option for paler skin tones. It is a sheertone shimmer finish which I think makes the flecks of gold more noticeable than if it were a frost. I really like this blusher! 



#3 Sincere : 


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I love using this blusher to contour pale skin. It is the perfect taupe-brown shade without being to grey or orange. Sincere is a sheertone finish blush. This is definitely a great blusher to have in your makeup kit.. It's a good all rounder!



#4 Peaches : 


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This is one of my favourite blushers from MAC! It is the perfect peach shade for almost all skin tones. It has more of a pink undertone rather than an orange. It is a sheertone finish blusher and it stays well on the cheeks. 



#5 Plum Foolery :


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This blusher looks so gorgeous on darker skin. It's almost metallic purple in colour. It is a sheertone shimmer blush but it gives the skin almost a dewy look rather than a shimmery finish. I don't really like this on my skin (I'm very pale) but I reeeeally recommend it for dark skin!



#6 Harmony :


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I love this blusher for contouring tanned skin or to warm up the face on paler skin. I use it like a bronzer more often than I use it as a blush. It is a matte finish and it looks great used as a blusher with smokey eyes and a nude or pink lip! I definitely recommend buying this blusher!



#7 Melba : 


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Oh my goodness if you don't own this blusher go and buy it right now! This is my all time favourite MAC blusher and I just love it with every look. It has a matte finish and it comes off as like a muted pink colour. It blends really nicely and it doesn't look powdery on the skin. It suits almost every skin tone and it's amazing! I just any say enough good things! 



#8 Trace Gold : 


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Trace Gold comes in a close second after Melba as my favourite blusher. It is so gorgeous used on the cheekbones as a highlighter/ blusher hybrid! I love using this with bronzed cheeks for a beautiful sun kissed glow. It looks lovely on pale skin but the darker the skin tone the more flattering this blush will be. This is definitely a must have! 



#9 Honey Jasmine : 


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This blusher was limited edition with the "All About Orange" collection. It is a satin finish so it blends really well while still being quite opaque. I love that it has more of an orange undertone than most peachy colours. This is the only limited edition blusher that I keep it my palettes. I love it because it is such a unique colour.



#10 Pink Swoon : 

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I love love love this blusher! It's a gorgeous candy pink colour.. Almost like Saint Germain in blush form. It is has a sheertone finish but I think it transfers really opaque. This is another great all rounder because it suits every skin tone. I would definitely repurchase this! 

#11 Well Dressed : 


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This blusher only really works on pale skin in my opinion. It is very light but it gives a really nice finish and glow to pale skin. It is a satin finish blusher so it blends into the cheeks without sitting on the skin and looking powdery. It is like a dusty purple pink colour with a slight metallic finish. This is a great colour for a makeup kit! 



#12 Fleur Power : 


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This blusher is very pigmented but still easy to work with. It is a true pink with a blue undertone. Fleur Power is a satin finish blusher which again makes it very blendable. This blusher really lets the natural oils in your skin shine through so it doesn't come off as looking cakey at all. I think this colour is quite unique so it's a good addition to my kit! 


If you have any questions leave a comment down below! Thank you so much for reading :) 


Love Shannon x

Instagram : @shannonbowes

Saturday, 7 September 2013

Eyebrow Tutorial (How I Fill In My Eyebrows)

Hi guys :)


This post is all about how I do my eyebrows. I was asked to do a tutorial loads of times on Instagram but I couldn't go into much detail so this is a more in depth version! I change my eyebrow routine a lot but this is what I have been doing for the past few weeks and I like the results. If you have any questions just leave a comment! Enjoy :)



The products I use :)
#1 : A spoolie
#2 : A pair of tweezers
#3 : Clear eyebrow gel
#4 : Angled brush
#5 : Eyebrow powder/ eyeshadow
#6 : Eyebrow pencil
#7 : Small detail brush 
#8 : Concealer
#9 : Coloured eyebrow gel


Step One :




  • Tweeze any stray hairs.
  • Brush through the brow with a spoolie.
  • Set the hairs in place with a clear gel, brushing upwards and to the side.

Step Two :


  • With an angled brush (I use MAC's 208) and a light brown eyeshadow (I'm using MAC "Omega") I lightly fill in the front of the brow. This helps to create an ombre effect.


Step Three :


  • Using the same angled brush and a darker cool tone eyeshadow (I use MAC "Concrete") line all along the bottom of the eyebrow, following the natural shape of the brow.


Step Four :


  • Using the hairs as a guideline, fill in the tail end of the brow and the middle of the brow with the angled brush and brow powder. Make sure to leave a space at the front of the eyebrow for the lighter shade to blend.


Step Five :


  • Using the same products, thicken the top line of the front half of the eyebrow. I try to line this up with the top hairs of the front while still leaving a gap at the start of the brow.


Step Six :


  • With the same products and the angle of the brush thicken the arch, joining it to the tail end of the brow. This just makes the brow an even thickness and it looks more natural than just drawing an arch!



Step Seven :


  • Using the angled brush with the darker powder, apply the eyeshadow in light strokes to the front of the eyebrow. I like to brush upwards so that it fades out towards the top of the eyebrow.


Step Eight :


  • I use the eyebrow pencil to give the arch and the line at the bottom of the eyebrow a bit more definition.


Step Nine :


  • I set the pencil with the darker eyeshadow and the angled brush. This just helps it last longer and stops it from smudging. 


Step Ten :


  • I then use concealer (MAC Studio Finish in NC15) and a small detail brush (Real Techniques) and go around the eyebrow with it. I try to get as close as possible without smudging the work I've already done. This helps to really define the eyebrow and gets rid of any mistakes. I like to go along the top and bottom of the brow, usually leaving the front as it is.


Step Eleven :


  • I blend in the concealer using my ring finger and then set it using my face powder.


Step Twelve :


  • I use a coloured brow gel (Maybelline Brow Drama in medium brown) to fill in any gaps and get rid of the powdery look. I like this particular product because it sets the brows in place nicely without making them look crispy! Then you're finally done :)


This is how I do my eyebrows almost everyday. Obviously if you have naturally thick or dark eyebrows you don't have to go through all of these steps (and I'm jealous!). You can always switch around the products to ones that you have and that work for you. Thank you so much for reading :)


Love Shannon x


[Instagram : @shannonbowes]

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Drugstore Haul & Mini Review


Hi guys :)


This is stuff I bought while I was in England. I think nearly everything is from Superdrug but I don't have the receipts so I don't have the prices.. Sorry! I have used most of the products at least once so I'll write a mini review for each. Hope you enjoy :)


Sleek Blush (Flamingo) :


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I love all of the sleek blushes. They have the most amazing pigmentation for the price! This is a beautiful raspberry colour that looks really good with a lot of lipsticks. This is my favourite colour from the ones I purchased!


Sleek Blush (Rose Gold) :


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This is quite a good dupe for Nars 'orgasm' when it's on the skin. It is very shimmery and I prefer matte shades. I love this when it is applied with a light hand though.. It's beautiful! This blusher would look really good on tanned skin. Again, it's insanely pigmented and such good value!


Sleek Blush (Pixie Pink) :


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I love this colour so much! It's very similar to MAC 'Dolly Mix' but it's a matte version which I love :) This looks great on all skintones. I will definitely be buying more Sleek blushes in the near future!


Maybelline Baby Lips (Cherry Me) :


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I was so happy when I found out that we were FINALLY getting the baby lips products! I've literally been waiting for about two years to get my hands on these :) The formula is so moisturising and they all smell amazing! This one is my favourite scent and it gives a nice hint of colour!


Maybelline Baby Lips (Peach Kiss) :


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I actually really love this colour as a lipstick. It's more pigmented than I thought and it's so creamy! I also bought the mint version but it has no colour so I didn't include pictures. I use the mint one everyday before I put my lipstick on and I find my lipstick goes on so much smoother and it even lasts a bit longer!


Maybelline Baby Lips (Pink Punch) :


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I love the colour of this one. It is a lot more pigmented that I expected and the scent is lovely and fruity. It looks really good on the lips and it applies just like a lipstick. These are really good lip balms and I think they're priced fairly. They usually retail for about £3/€4 and I'm happy to pay this again and again! This is a really good product!


Collection Eyeshadow Pencil :


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This product is absolutely amazing! I don't know what the colour is because it doesn't say it anywhere but I would describe it as a pencil version of MACs 'Vanilla' eyeshadow. It is 100% waterproof and a really good base. I'm definitely going to buy the rest of colours in the range.


Eylure False Lashes (145) :


Naturalites 145
I don't think I've ever tried this exact pair but Eylure is one of my favourite false eyelash brands. I thought I would try them out because you get an extra pair for the same price! They look very dramatic and I'm excited to use them :)


Accessorize Baked Bronzer Duo (Bondi) :


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I bought this because it reminded me of a MAC Mineralize Skinfinsh. It has a lovely finish that's not too powdery. I would use this as an eyeshadow as well as a highlight. I think it would look lovely with blue eyes. The only thing I don't like about this product is the smell. It smells VERY chemical and almost like paint. It is a lovely colour though so I can get over the smell!



Thank you so much for reading :)

Love,

Shannon x

[Instagram : @shannonbowes]