Are YOU a Naked Virgin?

As a beauty blogger and youtuber, there are certain expectations of you and the makeup that you should own. Would you believe it if I told you I was still a Naked virgin? 

Well.. It's true. I'm going to hang my head out in shame. I'm actually not phased about that. I honestly just don't love them enough to fork out £40 on them. There are eyeshadows in each of the 3 primary palettes which I adore and could use all the time, but there are some I just know I wouldn't use, and I wouldn't really want to own all three... so I never really justified it nor did I "yearn" to own them. 

But the beauty world does make you feel left out if you don't own the hottest new trend or god forbid a beauty staple! So as I was about to cave in and get the Naked 2 palette, meanwhile still having a mental debate on whether or not I should, I stumbled across these two palettes by Collection. 

Collection are a hit and miss for me. Some of their products just don't work for me, but saying that, a lot of them do exceed my expectations. The first palette that caught my eye was the one from Little Mix - All about the eyes. It's a warm toned palette with 5 eyeshadows with a mix of shimmer and matte, but mostly shimmer. This palette at £2.99 literally forced me to swatch them, and I'm so glad I did, do you see the pigment?!

The pigment from these two palettes is insane! And I thus ventured through the other palettes and chose a more cool toned palette, so I could have a nice contrast of shadows. 

The eyeshadows feel so creamy and soft to touch, and apply so smoothly onto the eyelid. The colour pigmentation is beyond exceptional, particularly considering their price - £2.99 each! The eyeshadows also blend really easily and don't feel as though you are just brushing the eyeshadow off your eyelid. Furthermore the eyeshadow stays put for a whole day, even on a humid day. I am so pleased I stumbled across these two palettes, and remain a Naked virgin. 

Are you a naked virgin?

Shreya. 

Kiko. My MAC Replacement!

Kiko. An Italian brand that has fast become one of my favourite brands of current time. If you've followed me on youtube and my previous blog, you will know that I absolutely adore 1) a bargain, 2) a quality product, but what I love most is when one product ticks both those boxes. What's more, a brand that consistently ticks both boxes, which Kiko certainly does. Kiko for me has become my MAC replacement. And that says something.

This concealer does not fall short, and has become a staple in my daily routine, as it firmly replaces the MAC studio finish concealer. That'll be sitting on the bench for a while.

This concealer offers full coverage and is suitable for all skin types. It does feel quite heavy for the under-eye area, which I actually love. As an asian, I suffer from horrid dark circles that need to be tamed on a daily basis! So a heavy concealer with top cover is right up my street. The best thing about this concealer is that it does not crease, at all. It's even been quite sunny in London lately, and no amount of sweat has caused this baby to crease or fade.

What I also love is the price. I feel like Kiko are just a more affordable version of MAC, as this concealer resonates with their concealers, but is almost half the price, at only £8. The packaging is also on par, as it comes in a sturdy little pot with a matte black finish. It also feels quite weighty and has a mirror at hand, so 5* for packaging!

If you haven't tried anything from them yet, please do! They have a gorgeous range of makeup and skincare that I absolutely adore and would highly recommend. The first things I would recommend is this concealer (of course) and their eyeshadows. They have a similar system as MAC where you can create your own palette, so go have a ball!

Let me know if you've tried anything from Kiko? Did you love it?


Shreya x

MAC STUDIO FINISH CONCEALER | REVIEW

MAC. I brand that's resonated all over the blogosphere and youtube, yet I literally own 3 products of theirs! Shocking, I know! This being the third to my modest collection. This concealer had me in love from the get go. As someone who suffers from dark circles, a cream concealer is a staple, hence this one went down a treat! It's quite a yellow toned concealer, which contour acts the purple undertones to the dark circles. It gives a flawless coverage underneath the eyes, and lasts all day, without oxidising or creasing. I have an oily complexion so creasing is always something I'm weary of, but with a bit of powder I am good to go.

Honestly, this concealer is one of the best I have ever come across. It's also a couple of shades lighter than my true skin tone which is great because it gives a brightening effect, which I love from my concealers.

The only thing I think you should be weary of if you want to try it out is the thick consistency. I quite like the full coverage, but the skin under the eyes is quite delicate so for some people, it may be quite a downer.

All in all, this is a fabulous concealer for covering up any blemishes and dark circles. If you want something high in coverage, definitely give this number a whirl!

What's your favourite concealer?

Shreya. x

FOTD: FACE OF THE DAY - NATURAL GLAMOUR!

Hi beauties! This is one of my favourite types of posts because it allows me to get all posy! Don't judge me, I know you guys do it too!

I'll admit, most days I really can not be bothered to do my makeup, and if I do, it's of a rookie standard. Then there are the days where I feel like I'm worth looking better than that. I feel more confident and more snazzy with my makeup. And that day, was today! It's a very natural look that I went for with heavy liner and done up lashes - 2 coats minimum. The products:

Moisturiser: Neutrogena oil free moisturiser
Primer: Rimmel 002 primer
Foundation: Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum
MAC Prep + Prime eye primer
Cream Concealer: MAC studio finish
Sleek Contour Palette - Medium
Cream Contour Palette from Ebay
Eyebrow Palette: Ebay
Lip Crayon: No7
Lip Gloss: Tanya Burr First Date
Eyeliner: 17 liquid liner
Eyeshadow: Rimmel Quad
Eye Liner: Rimmel Scandaleyes
Mascara: Bourjous Paris Dark Khol


I think that's everything. That is a lot of makeup on my face you guys!

Do you have any staple items that you use everyday?

Leave a comment!

Shreya x


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MASSIVE SPRING/SUMMER 2015 FASHION HAUL: H&M, PRIMARK, LUSH AND MORE!

Hi beauties! I've recently been going a little crazy in the spirit of Spring/Summer, although the weather at the moment mirrors Autumn quite well. But the weather does not stop the shops! There are so many vibrant displays in the front of stores that have just got the best of me and my wallet. I am now the proud owner of another bunch of clothes that refuse to fit in my wardrobe! Help!

I filmed a video to show you guys all the things that I have purchased over the last month or so, and be warned, it is a lot! I felt like it was time to spruce up my wardrobe, as I'm usually very money conscious and play it quite safe when it comes to fashion, and I just thought, enough is enough. As sad as it sounds, I want to be "trendy" too!

So here is the video. I hope you guys enjoy it, and leave me links to you haul posts! I love looking for more things to buy! Just don't tell my bank account. Shh.

Shreya. x



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TOP 3 FOUNDATIONS FOR OILY SKIN.

Hi beauties! Today, we are talking about foundations. As an oily skinned girl myself, I know how much of a nightmare foundation shopping can be, especially as I am of an olive skin-tone, so high-street stores are pretty much out of reach! That being said, here are 3 lovely foundations that my skin can not get enough of, and one is actually high-street - success!

First up is Bourjois Paris' Healthy Mix Serum. This foundation is quite a dewy finish with light-medium coverage. More on the lighter side. Perfect for summer! It lasts all day without budging but may need a powder up on the T-zone through the day. It smells gorgeous and covers up redness really well. It doesn't cause me any breakouts and feels smooth and extremely light on the skin. I usually apply this with a brush and if you have any trouble areas, you can built it up quite well to a medium coverage. I also have a few dry patches as my skin is quite dehydrated, which this foundation does not cling to, which is great! The only downside is the colour range of this foundation. I literally just about made their selection of colours, so if you're a little darker than me you may struggle to find a suitable shade. Why won't high-street brands expand their range?!

Second is MAC beauty, the Studio Fix Fluid foundation. This foundation is a matte finish that offers full coverage, but can be toned down if needed by applying very little product. If you apply too much you do run the threat of looking "cakey". I personally don't mind this look for a night out or so, but I know it's not to everyone's taste, so be warned! Having said that, you can apply this with a small amount and a good buffing in for a gorgeous, natural looking finish. In that sense it's quite a versatile product. This also lasts all day and I rarely have to touch it up. The only critique I have is, as a glasses wearer, this foundation transfers onto the glasses a lot! Which is a little embarrassing in public situations when I need to take them off, as dirty glasses are not attractive. Nonetheless, the finish of this foundation is literally HD perfection. It photographs like a dream without any ghost-like flashback, and offers high coverage.

Last but not least is the newest addition to my foundation family! It's the new Clinique Beyond Perfecting liquid foundation that claims to be a concealer and foundation in one - magic! I can actually vouch for that claim as my skin is left absolutely flawless when using this foundation. This foundation is a semi-matte foundation that offers a beautiful glow to the skin, which I love. This product literally lasts on my skin all day and controls my oils the best, especially in my T-zone area, so my nasty glasses issue is dramatically reduced with this foundation. The only complaint with this foundation is the packaging. It comes with a stick that you can use to dot the foundation on your face and blend in using a brush/fingers/sponge. I don't generally like using products directly on my face because if there is a spot developing, the germs would go onto the applicator which would sit in the bottle and just multiply into a discussing mess! I'd rather not. So I use the applicator to put small amounts of product on my hand, and have to re-dip a couple of times to get enough foundation for my face. It's just a little annoying. But that is not detrimental at all towards my review of the product. An absolute holy grail, especially in the warmer months where I will no doubt need the oil barrier, as well as that gorgeous glow. As for it's concealing power, it is a great concealer and most days I can go without applying concealer. But other days, when I want more of a flawless face, I will apply concealer to my under eyes, as I have horrible dark circles, but the rest of my face, spot or no spot, is already to perfection with this foundation.

All in all, if I had to choose one, it would be the Clinique foundation hands down. Nonetheless I love the variation that these foundations provide. Bourjois offers a gorgeous dewy finish that is light for when you're on holiday or just don't want a heavy face, whereas MAC is perfect for the opposite - a full face and lots of glam! The Clinique sits nicely in-between the two and so it is my winner on most days, but I also could not live without the other two.

What foundation do you use? Leave a comment!

Shreya x

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum: £10.99
MAC Studio Fix Fluid: £21.50
Clinique Beyond Perfecting: £21

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Best High-Street Contouring Products Under £10!

Hi beauties! Today I'm going to be talking about contouring. As we step out of Autumn/Winter, contouring is becoming replaced with more glowing, dewy skin kind of contouring. Nonetheless, many of us, including myself, just can not let go of the "perfectly chiseled" look. I love making my nose look slimmer, cheek bones higher, and my face more oval. And to do that, I've been using these two staple holy grail products that won't break your bank!

The first product I'm going to talk about is the cream contour/concealer kit. I bought this for about £2 on ebay. It is unbranded and I can sense a lot of you would be disgusted by buying makeup on ebay. I admit, ebay is tricky when buying products like this because you don't really know the quality of what you're buying. But for £2 I thought... why not give it a try? And I am so glad I did! This palette has a really strong colour pay off, comes with multiple shades - which is great when you run out of a shade because you can mix the others to make the shade! It blends like a dream and has not caused any break-outs on my oily complexion. I also use it as a concealer under my eyes and for colour correcting. Honestly, it gives me the best results when it comes to covering my dark circles. This product just highlights to me that brands are great, and high end brands sometimes make us feel better just because it's a super-lush brand, but sometimes, and I find this a lot in high-street brands, expensive is not always better, and cheap is not always cheap in quality. I would say the concealing power of this palette matches that of my MAC Studio Finish concealer. The only thing is the packaging. The packaging is light and plastic, so it does feel flimsy. But I've had it for a couple of months and I throw it in and out of my makeup stash all the time, and it's still working with all the hinges in tact! But I don't mind sacrificing packaging for an affordable quality product!

That palette is thus the first step to my contour routine. Then I powder all my cream products with a translucent powder, and then I use my Sleek contour palette, which is in powder form, to add more depth and highlight to my face. I rarely use the blush that comes in the palette, but the contour powder and the highlight is a dream. The bronzer is a beautiful deep brown, that is not orange on the skin. I hate orange bronzers as sometimes they don't show on my skin, or they make me look like an umpa lumpa. This brown is therefore perfect for more Mediterranean skin tones. There is a lighter palette available for those that are more pale. I generally just use this to emphasise my cheek bones a bit more, and my nose. Then I use the highlighter only down the centre of my nose, and on the tops of my cheeks to catch the sunlight, which it does so beautifully. I absolutely adore these two products and I use them both almost everyday. The powder also buffs out like a dream, so you can have it subtle or dramatic depending on preference. A little goes a long way, too. So you won't be running out any time soon!

What products do you use to contour? Leave a comment!

Shreya x

Sleek Palette: £9.99
Cream Contour Palette: £2-£3

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