Perfect Autumn/ Winter Lipstick (Drugstore & High End Products)

Hi guys :) 

This post is on my favourite Autumn/ Winter lipsticks! They are almost all quite dark but I love to wear vampy lips in winter :) I tried to include drugstore and high end lipsticks and products that are internationally available! If you have any questions please leave them below or Instagram me.. I hope you enjoy :)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry (477) : 

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This lipstick is a very deep purple berry colour. It definitely feels like more of a satin finish lipstick because it's so creamy! I would pair this lipstick with MAC Nightmoth lipliner. It is very pigmented and it lasts well on the lips. (I could probably get two hours wear if I use a liner). I think it's quite a good price at around €10/£8/$7 and it's available internationally! It should suit all skin tones.. I would probably give it 8 out of 10 :) 

MAC Ruby Woo : 

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This is probably one of the most famous red lipsticks ever! It is a matte finish lipstick.. This makes it quite dry so I usually warm it up a tiny bit on the back of my hand :) It is a blue-toned red which should be suitable for all skintones. It has the most amazing vanilla scent.. I could smell it all day! I use this with MAC Cherry lipliner which helps it lasts so I get about 3-4 hours wear out of it. I would give this lipstick 9/10 :)

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in 02 Beige Trench : 

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I included this as a neutral option for anyone who doesn't like dark colours. It is a very brown-tone nude. This is a really creamy lipstick so it's perfect for those days when your lips might be a little chapped from the cold weather! It is not the most long-wearing lipstick but it's a light colour so it's easy to put another coat on without paying too much attention :) I think it's quite a universal colour and it would look good on anyone! I would give this 7 out of 10 just because you can find other colours almost exactly the same from other brands so it's not very unique! 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo : 

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I already have an in-depth review on this in a previous blogpost! I just wanted to include it as an alternative to an actual lipstick. I would give this product 9/10 :)

MAC Plumful : 

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This is a Lustre finish lipstick. Like with the Bourjois lipstick, it is a little less in-your-face than the other colours. I included this because it's quite a unique colour and I definitely don't have anything else like it in my collection! It usually lasts around an hour on the lips so you will definitely need to reapply throughout the day. This doesn't bother me at all though so I have to give it 10 out of 10! 

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 : 

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This is more of a deep raspberry colour rather than the usual purple/ plum colour. This lipstick is really long-lasting! I have eaten and drank with it on and not had to reapply it after :) Although it's a matte finish it's still very moisturizing. The only thing that I don't like about this lipstick is the scent - it's very artificial and fruity! I think this is a great price and it's an exact dupe for MAC Diva lipstick.. I would give this 9 out of 10! 

If you have any suggestions of lipsticks I could try let me know :) Also if you want to see any specific blog posts in the future don't hesitate to email me! Thanks so much for reading - Special thanks to Saoirse Murray ;) 

Love Shannon x

October Favourites

Hi guys :)

Sorry I've been gone for ages but I'm back with my October Favourites! I'm so excited that it's finally November.. Almost Christmas (YEY!) I've loved some of these products for ages but I thought I'd include them anyway. I hope you enjoy and leave any comments down below :) 

MAC Vanilla Pigment : 

I love this product so much! It can be used wet or dry and you can put it anywhere you like. I love using it on the inner corner of my eyes and on the tops of my cheekbones. I sometimes dab a little on my cupids bow to highlight! Be careful though.. It's really shimmery so don't go too crazy :) A little goes a long way.. You don't want to end up looking like someone from Twilight ;) 

Benefit They're Real Mascara :

I love this! I think it has the perfect applicator and the perfect formula.. I don't like very wet mascaras! This is dry enough to prevent transfer but it still allows you to build layers without going flakey. This product is definitely on the more pricey side but I think it's worth the money! I've been using this mascara for six months and I don't plan on changing it for the foreseeable future :) 

MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick : 

I purchased this around the beginning of October and I've been wearing it loads! It almost reminds me of MAC "Syrup" but it's even more wearable. It goes with almost every colour eyeshadow and blusher! I love it as a warm neutral for Autumn/ Winter with dramatic, dark eyes. It is a very shimmery lipstick but the glitter is so finely milled that it gives a smooth application every time. I haven't heard a lot about this lipstick but I would definitely give it a try if you're look for a more wintery nude! 

MAC Prolongwear Concealer (NC15) : 

I've never been a massive concealer fan.. I own a few but it was never an essential for me. Then I found this :) I use it under my eyes and on my face. It lasts all day with no creasing and it's a great colour! I have been thinking about depotting it just because there's a lot of waste when too much comes out of the pump. I still love it though.. It has amazing coverage and I couldn't live without it now :) 

EOS Lipbalm (Strawberry Sorbet) : 

I have wanted to try one of these lip balms for like two years! I was so happy when I saw them on cloud10beauty. I've heard mixed reviews about this product.. Mostly good but some people say that after long term use their lips have dried out. I find them great! I don't have particularly dry lips but I apply this at the start of my makeup and my lipstick goes on really smooth and I actually think it lasts longer! I'll definitely be buying the full set :)

ELF Cream Contouring & Blusher : 

Oh my goodness this is definitely my number one favourite if the month! I was so impressed with this product.. It lasts on the skin all day, it blends really easily, it's not orange at all and it was only £3.50! I have been looking for a cream bronzer for ages and I'm glad now that I didn't splurge on a high end one :) This is the only cream bronzer that I know of from the drugstore and I love it so much I've already bought two backups! 10 out of 10 :)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette : 

I've had this palette for a few months but I only started putting it to use recently. I love every shade in the palette.. They're so versatile! You can create a full-on smokey eye or a natural and neutral look. I love both of the highlight shades in this palette! The matte highlight is my favourite highlight EVER and the shimmery highlight is a really gorgeous reflective colour :) I think the palette is a good price.. It will last for years and you get six great quality eyeshadows! I would really recommend this for beginners or anyon who is looking to build up their collection! 

I hope you found something useful from this post :) I'll hopefully be posting more regularly now so if you have any requests feel free to email me or comment below! 

Thank you so much for reading :) 

Love Shannon x

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Haul & Review

Hi guys :)

L-R : Monte Carlo, Sydney & Buenos Aires

I have read so many great reviews about the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams so I had to try them out and see if they lived up to the hype! I made an order on their UK website and I received my items last week. I bought other items as well but I wanted to do a review specifically on these lip creams instead of doing a haul on everything! I have been using these everyday for about five days so that I could give an accurate review.. I hope you enjoy and leave any questions you have below :)


#1 Monte Carlo :

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This one is the most opaque and creamiest of all the colours I purchased. When I first swatched it on my hand it was instantly vibrant and really pigmented. I apply these one layer at a time, letting each layer dry before applying the next one. I only needed to apply two coats of this for full opacity and I was really impressed! It gives a really nice, even application and there is no need for a liner as you get quite a precise line with the applicator included. This is a gorgeous colour for autumn and it's very long lasting. I reapplied this three times throughout the day and it stayed put with no smudges, even after eating and drinking! I would give this 9/10 just because it did dry out a tiny bit towards the end of the day but I can't complain when it's such a good price!


#2 Sydney :

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I was most excited for this colour because it reminded of a more wearable version of MAC's Saint Germain lipstick! In reality it reminds me more of Snob by MAC but I still love it :) It is a muted purple-toned pink colour and it is the most moisturising colour of the three that I got. These smell absolutely amazing.. Like really sweet vanilla! I'm so impressed with the colour range of this product that NYX offer. There is a colour to suit every skin tone and every preference! I'm really excited to try all the other colours in this range on different people to see if they love them as much as me :)


#3 Buenos Aires :

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This colour is my favourite colour of the ones I purchased! It is the less pigmented of the three but it is such a unique colour and it is very buildable so that doesn't bother me. I usually have to apply three coats of this but it lasts well throughout the day with the help of a few more applications! Overall, I'm very much impressed by this product. It is long lasting without being drying and the colour selection is great. I will definitely be purchasing more of these in the future and I'm really excited to try out the Butter Gloss too! If anyone has any recommendations on other colours to try please let me know :)


Thank you so much for reading :)

Love Shannon x

MAC haul :)

Hi guys :)

I'm sure nearly all of you will have heard something about the RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection by now! Oh my days I was so excited :) I kind of went in just wanting anything because of the packaging but I had a good look at the products and I'm actually really excited about what I purchased! I also got one lipstick from the Retro Matte collection, the original Viva Glam lipstick and a lipstick from their permanent line. Have fun reading and I hope you enjoy :) 

                                  

#1 MAC Lipstick (Flat Out Fabulous) : 

                                    

This is the only lipstick I picked up from the Retro Matte collection. The colour really stood out for me because I love purples but I don't have any really matte purple shades. The other colours in the collection were nice but I have too many similar colours already so I didn't think it was worth buying them just for the finish! 

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The texture of these lipsticks is really nice on the lips. It's has quite a velvet feel and they are not drying at all. This lipstick has quite a blue undertone and it swatches on the hand as more of a fuschia colour but on the lips it's a really nice bright purple/ raspberry colour.. I love it :)

#2 MAC Lipstick (Viva Glam 1) :

                                     

I saw this lipstick swatched in loads of pictures on Instagram and I thought it looked beautiful. It's quite unlike any red that I already own.. I mostly have brights like Rubywoo and Russian Red! I just bought it on impulse because it was at the register but I did want to try it and the proceeds go to a good cause so I thought why not? :) 

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The finish of this lipstick looks quite glossy even though it is a matte finish. This doesn't bother me though because it means that the lipstick isn't drying on the lips! It comes off as a beautiful deep rich red and it will be a beautiful colour for the autumn/ winter months :) 

#3 MAC Lipstick (Diva) : 

                                      

In the bullet this looks very similar in colour to the Viva Glam colour, however, when it's swatches it is a lot more of a plummy brown colour. It is once again a matte finish without being drying but it does come off quite matte on the lips compared with the Viva Glam. 

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I really like this colour as a really dark vampy lipstick for autumn! I had All Fired Up from the Retro Matte collection on my list but it was so similar to Diva and the finish of this lipstick was so much nicer I ended up not getting All Fired Up. I'm planning on wearing this with Nightmoth lipliner and I can't wait to see what it looks like :) 

#4 RiRi Hearts MAC Cream Colour Base (Diamonds) : 

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This was the first thing that I decided to buy from the collection.. I was so surprised by how nice it was! It looks almost wet on the skin because it's so glossy. I love the gold shimmer rather than a pink shimmer because I really don't like pink highlighters on my face! I'm surprisingly very impressed with this product and I'm so happy that I got my hands on it :) Also can we please take a moment to appreciate this AMAZING packaging?! I'm in love :)

#5 RiRi Hearts MAC Blusher (Bad Girl Gone Good) : 

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I loved this colour as soon as I saw it! I've been wanting a dark tan coloured blusher for absolutely ages but I couldn't find one that I really liked without buying an actual bronzer. This is really pigmented and would look great on all skin tones! I thought that a lot of the collection was more tailored towards darker skin tones but I'm very pale and this looks really nice and glory on my skin without looking orange. I'm really excited to have this in my collection and I'm sure I'll get great use out of it :) 

#6 RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick (Talk That Talk) : 

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This was the only thing that I really wanted from the collection before I got to the store! It is such a gorgeous dark plum colour and it's really moisturising on the lips. It is a Retro Matte finish and it lasts really well in the lips. It looks scarily dark in the bullet but it comes off a lot more sheer in comparison with most other MAC lipsticks. I'm so happy with this product :) 

Thank you so much for reading guys! Like always comment any questions below :) 

Love Shannon x

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]

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]

Makeup Haul (MAC, Smashbox & Estee Lauder)

Hi guys :)

I've been in Manchester for a few days so I did a bit of shopping.. Yey :) I bought some of these things from Selfridges and some from The Cosmetics Company Outlet. I will give a short description on each product but I won't go into too much detail as I haven't had a chance to try any of these products out yet. Enjoy!


MAC Lipstick (Strong Woman) :

"Strong Woman" lipstick

This is part of the 'Strength' collection that was released last December. I don't know where this lipstick is available now but I got mine in The Cosmetics Company Outlet in York, England.
This is a matte lipstick and I really like this shade. I'm excited to try it cause I don't have any matte purples!


MAC Lipstick (Royal Azalea) :

"Royal Azalea" lipstick

This is a sheen supreme lipstick. I'm not sure if it's from a collection or if it's part of the permanent collection. This colour is so beautiful and opaque! It looks as if it's going to be super moisturising. I think this will soon become a favourite!


Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation :

Foundation in Ivory Nude 72

I recently noticed that my MAC Studio Fix Fluid isn't giving me as full a coverage as I would like. This foundation had 25% off so I decided to give it a try as I've heard really good things about it! I might do a review on this in the future if anyone would like one :)


MAC Lipstick (Supremely Confident) :

"Supremely Confident" lipstick

This is a another sheen supreme lipstick. It is a very pale nude colour with slight shimmer. It also seems very moisturising. This is a really pigmented lipstick and I don't have any other lipstick in this colour.


MAC Pigment (Bright Fuchsia) :

"Bright Fuchsia" pigment

I've wanted to get some bright coloured pigments for ages. This was my favourite pink colour so I decided to go with it. It has a slight metallic finish but I think it makes it pop!


MAC Pressed Pigment (Blonde Streak) :

"Blonde Streak" pigment

I love this product so much! I've been wanting to buy it for ages and when I saw it for 30% off I couldn't resist. It is like a gold glitter but more opaque because it has a light gold base. I'm so happy to finally have this in my collection!

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer :

Concealer in shade NC15

I have read really great reviews on this concealer so I wanted to see what the hype was! I don't actually use concealer everyday so I thought that I might use this to mix in with my foundation for a more full coverage. I'm looking forward to seeing how this works out :)

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow (Opalesse) :

Opalesse eyeshadow

Like the pressed pigment, I eyed this product for ages when it was in stores. It is a white based eyeshadow with blue and purple reflect glitter and it's so gorgeous! I'm really excited to do a purple eye look with this eyeshadow.

MAC Pigment (Full Force Violet) :

"Full Force Violet" Pigment

I got this the same time as the other pigment while I was looking for brighter colours. One of the girls that was working at MAC was wearing this on her eyes and it looked gorgeous! It is quite matte I think and it doesn't seem as easy to work with as the other pigment but we'll see what happens :)

Smashbox Lipgloss (Pout) :

"Pout" lipgloss

When I saw this lipgloss it reminded be of NARS 'Turkish Delight'. It is the same milky light pink colour but with a slight pink shimmer. I think this would look gorgeous over a nude lipstick to brighten it up a bit!

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow (Blue Orbit) :

"Blue Orbit" eyeshadow

Despite the name, this eyeshadow it more of a purple than a blue. It reminds me of a more creamy version of MAC 'Stars n Rockets'. These eyeshadows seem like they will blend really easily and I will use this alongside the 'Opalesse' eyeshadow for an extra "pop"!

MAC Blusher (Immortal Flower) :

"Immortal Flower" Blusher

This blusher is from the recent "All About Orange" collection. I didn't buy it when the collection came out because it was sold out in every store I visited. It's like a cream soda kind of colour or a very light peach. It is quite powdery but I really light it for pale skin!



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


Love Shannon x


Instagram : @shannonbowes