make up Archives - Megan Taylor

FESTIVE MAKE UP GIFTS FOR THEM & YOU

I love love love receiving new make up at Christmas and I find eye shadow palettes are allow going to be a winner. You may not like every single colour in a palette but if there is a wacky colour in there, Christmas is the time to make use of it. I have chosen these festive palettes from some of my favourite make up brands so therefore I know they are good quality, have great pigment and know that you’ll love them too 🙂

MAKE ME UP

Oh how I adore make up and eye shadow palettes are my absolute favourite. I’m like a magpie to the colours. I love the opportunity to try out colours that I wouldn’t necessarily buy as a single unit. I also love that in the lead up to Christmas I get a bit braver with my make up, my eyeliner gets longer and thicker, my shadows get sparklier and my contouring gets quite frankly epic!

I had always wanted to try Stila because everyone I know raves about it. Until this palette arrived through my door I had never tried the brand. Well, what can I say, the packaging is fabulous! The pigmentation is strong! The colours are gorgeous! Highly recommend these gift sets for a make up fan this Christmas.
Stila Blue Realm Palette
Stila Blue Pink Harmony Lip Duo

Code 8 is relatively new of just a few years and they have taken the make up world by storm. Their ethos is to be pretty simple with your make up application and that you don’t need to spend hours applying, well, I could spend hours simply admiring the products alone 😉 . Everything is so sleek, luxurious and most importantly works incredibly well. This Code 8 Party Essentials Selection is absolutely dreamy and a fabulous introduction to the brand for those who may not have tried them before. If you were to buy one introductory item from Code 8 I would have to advise it be this hydrating lip colour in the colour ‘Off Broadway‘. I have been using this lipstick a minimum of 3 times a week for a year now and it isn’t even half finished. It is the perfect everyday lippie that you can apply without a mirror.

I have been using Mina products for about 2 years now and their eyeliner and pigmented eyeshadows are fabulous! They have this stunning eye shadow palette available this Christmas and it is literally your go to for any cool girl you need to gift a present for. Mina – Glam Rock Eyeshadow Palette. Filled with wearable colours and few brave ones too.

VEGAN BRUSHES

Call me naive but up until 4 years ago I thought ALL make up brushes were synthetic. It wasn’t until one day on a photoshoot I said to the make up artist that I thought one brush was far more scratchier than another and she said it was because it was made from horse hair. I was absolutely shocked, I had just assumed that it would be both gross and expensive to use animal hair in a make up brush that goes on your face but apparently it is pretty common. Ever since that moment I have been actively trying to seek out and only use non-animal hair brushes. Here are three brands creating fabulous animal free brushes and championing the fact there simply is no need to use animal hair to create a decent make up brush!

These So Eco brushes are divine. This is the Face Brush Kit and the Round Foundation Brush is going to be my new everyday foundation application brush. It has the perfect rounded tapered end to get your concealer up under the lower lashes. I also love that this gift set comes with a handy travel pouch.

Look Good Feel Better have a wonderful ethos behind the brand and have been going for 25 years now. LGFB supports and helps boost the physical and emotional wellbeing of patients that are sadly having to endure cancer treatment with an annual donation of at least £20,000. The Makeover Brush Set is filled with all the brushes you need, a powder blush brush, stippling brush (fave!), tapered blending brush and a precision rounded brush to get into those more intricate areas of the face.

The Brush works Complete Face Set has make up brushes suitable for powder, liquid and pressed make up. They look so different from any other brushes out there so make a great stand out present. I had no idea until I read the back of the box that there is even a make up brush pouch hidden in the back!

Which items will you be keeping for yourself?

MAKE UP FROM THE GOLDEN AGE

Imagine the Hollywood stars in the Golden Age and what their make up kit looked like…I am pretty sure it resembled this make up range by Joan Collins. I had no idea Joan Collins had her own beauty line. I was at an event recently and there was a girl wearing this incredible pink fuscia lipstick and I immediately said, errr…I need that in my life, where is it from? Turns out it was this lipstick from Joan Collins called Fontaine. I’m not sure it looks as good on me as it did her, but I love it all the same. In fact I am in love with this whole collection so keep on reading to find out more.

LIPSTICKS

These lipsticks are made exactly how I like them. The formulation does not dry out my lips. I hate it when a lipstick dries your lips out, especially in the winter. I am also in love with the scent, they smell exactly the same as my nanny’s make up did that I would play around with when I was little. My absolute favourite shade is Marilyn as it is the perfect everyday shade. It is a pinky nude. I’m so sorry I didn’t photograph it, but it was looking a little “used” and was living in my handbag. Check out the shade here, it is the first one on the list. LOVE LOVE LOVE ❤.

(Pink lipstick: Fontaine • Red lipstick: Crystal)

NAIL VARNISH

How insanely glamorous are these nail varnishes, wow! These are the perfect nail varnishes to be placed upon your dressing table for everyone to see. My absolute favourite is the white glittery one called Pearl which reminds me of unicorns and fairies, It may well be my most favourite nail varnish I have ever owned, the sparkle is unreal. This colour is quite hard to find though but I have found it on Amazon where there are a few left. The red nail varnish called Crystal reminds me of a glamorous Hollywood movie star. Again this colour seems super popular as well, there is only 1 left on Amazon!? My Christmas nails are going to be permanently the red Crystal with the sparkly Pearl on top…perfect festive nail look.

MAKE UP FROM THE GOLDEN AGE | MEGAN TAYLOR

PALETTES

Oh, how I adore a palette. Palettes are amazing for travelling because you can take a whole stash of colours in one compact box. I am particularly in love with the smoky brown colours in the eye shadow palette which you can just about see in the back of the picture below. I have been using all four colours within the palette which is amazing because most palettes have a few funky rather dodgy colours. The four colours make up the perfect party smoky eye look. I have been using the lightest colour as my base eye colour, then the light brown in the crease of my eye, the dark brown along the eyeliner line and then the glittery gold in the inner corners of my eyes…perfection.

Did you know Joan Collins had a beauty line? Which product is your favourite?

Copper Make Up Dreams

As I sat down to do my make up this morning I realised my copper addiction is on overdrive. Everything surrounding me is copper. Although this is a bit crazy, it makes me incredibly happy and I wanted to share the beauty with you and show you how you too could have copper make up dreams.

Copper Tray

COPPER TRAY

I started with this copper tray from Oliver Bonas to place any spare bits and bobs that don’t fit in my standard beauty blogger Muji acrylic perspex drawers (does everyone have these?). I adore this tray because I can keep a few of my quick go-to beauty products that I always use or are a funky shape.

Copper Tweezers
Copper Tumbler

TWEEZING IN COPPER

I was given this copper tumbler in my stocking a few years back and at first used it for a cocktail glass. I soon decided that it spent more time in the glass cupboard and it was far too pretty to be hidden. I have a few too many make up brushes and not enough drawers to store them in so I have started putting my most used (and most pretty) brushes in this glass. The only problem with this is that they can get a little dusty. I actually think I may swop the brushes with eyeliners or another enclosed product that wouldn’t matter if it were dusty. The pictured copper tweezers were in a recent Look Fantastic Beauty Box and I love them as much for their capability of shaping my brows as their beauty.

Heated Eyelash Curlers
Copper Eyelash Curlers

EYE LASH CURLERS

I am loving both of these eyelash curlers at the moment but am in a quandary over which works better. I have quite long lashes but they are naturally straight so I always use eyelash curlers. I think both have benefits but the standard metal squeasy type probably give me the best curling effect.

Rosie For Autograph Lip Gloss (My Best Girl Friend)
Too Faced Lipstick (Jelly Bean)

COPPER GLOSSING

Two very different lip effects with these two lipsticks but both packaged beautifully. Again, as I have already said, I am a sucker for anything rose gold or copper and these lipsticks tick the boxes. The Rosie for Autograph lipstick has a glossy effect and is very slightly tinted, the stick is not a true representation of the colour. It is a lot paler than the stick which makes it very easily wearable and is one of those tinted lipsticks that you can apply without a mirror. The Too Faced lipstick is a gorgeous red toned pink lipstick and is probably my favourite lipstick of the moment. The only problem I have with this lipstick is that the twisting opening has stopped working even though there is a lot of lipstick inside it. I have resorted to sticking my little finger in there and dabbing the colour on my lips.

Tinted Lipbalm

ORNAMENTAL BALMS

This tinted lip balm is packages in a beautiful and unusual way. I have never seen a little lip balm pot that looks this way which makes it really precious. I find the lip balm itself a little bit sticky for my liking. If I were single I wouldn’t mind but ever since I met my husband he has shown a dislike for sticky lip products. Until I met Liam I owned more Lancome Juicy Tubes than one person needs. This pot will definitely be staying on display on my dressing table beyond its expiration date.

Few…that’s a lot of copper make up products which my dressing tables aesthetics are thankful for. Can you recommend any more beautiful beauty products that I should invest in?

SHOP ☆ COPPER MAKE UP

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My Latest Make Up Obsessions

I am having a bit of a love affair with make up lately and have recently stocked up on plenty of new goodies so expect a lot more make up obsessions to be coming soon to my blog. The pieces I have selected to show you today are from Too Faced, KIKO and Make Up Forever. I hope you enjoy my latest make up obsessions.

KIKO eyeshadow brush
I love KIKO. Everything they sell is affordable so you can try out new products without breaking the bank. This make up brush has been perfect for a bit of precision eye shadow blending.

Make Up Forever eyeshadow brush
This brush is a little chunkier than the KIKO brush which makes it great for an easy application of a large expanse of eye shadow.

Make Up Forever Eyeshadow – Platinum
This eye shadow is absolutely beautiful, it is like a zillion stars clustered together into a little pot. With just a small brush of this on your eyelids when you are on holiday you will be all set to go for your evening ahead.

Too Faced Smokey Eye Palette
I have been a lover of Too Faced for a while now. Their packaging is always very enticing. This Too Faced palette is wonderful. All of the colours are wearable with no eyeshadows that are too “out there”. I normally find that with an eye shadow palette there are colours that I never use but that is not the case with this one. ‘Firefly’ and ‘Cloves’ are my favourite colours to use for a day look and then build it up with the darker colours and the silver ‘In A Flash’.

What make up have you been loving lately?

Blogosphere Magazine Event – Goodie Bag Reveal

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to Blogosphere’s cover reveal party for issue 9 and I had a wonderful time. In a little hidden away spot in Soho we entered into a long winding location full of rooms with different entertainment. The goodie bag was rather epic so I have filmed a video showing you everything that was in it.

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What Was In The Goodie Bag

Blogosphere Magzine
Yes To Facial Wipes
The London Tea Company – Pure Camomile
Snact
Lee Stafford – Coco Loco Genius Lotion
Aeos – Refreshing Hydrating Mist
Inika – Ultimate Lip Balm
UBU – Foundation Brush
Evolve – Satin Leg Gloss
You Beauty Box

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Blogosphere Magazine Event - Goodie Bag Reveal

What’s In My Make-Up Bag {travel edition}

Whenever I go away for a long weekend, I try to streamline my make up kit.
I am quite happy with how minimal I have become.
My aunty gave me this gorgeous make up bag on the morning of my wedding day and I have been using it ever since.
It is big enough to fit my make up, serum, deodorant and hair spray. It even fits my hair brushes.
I take the Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics palette with me on trips as it is smaller than all their other palettes
but still has a nice selection of smokey colours for day and night time.
I never use a cream, I always use Balm Balm’s serum because it is super hydrating and
is full of essential oils that are good for healing scarring.
Have I missed anything that you always take on short trips?

Make Up Bag
Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics
Dove
Elnett – Extra Strength
Maybelline – 220
Rimmel Wake Me Up – 103 True Ivory
Eye Shadow Brush
Blusher Brush
Foundation Brush
Mascara
Eyeliner
Lipcote
Balm Balm Serum
Blusher
Tweezers
Eyelash Curlers
Lipstick– Clarins Jolie Rouge
Sharpener
Red Lipstick

Gift Bag Haul

Last week I was booked by my modelling agency to walk in Binky Felstead’s AW16 catwalk at Libertine in London. The event was put on by the lovely guys over at In The Style. When leaving I was given a gift bag which was filled with goodies.
I have just released a You Tube video (below) showing you everything that is in the goodie bag.

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