WHAT'S NEW IN MY MAKEUP GEEK STASH & HOW I STORE IT ALL FEAT. INGLOT FREEDOM FLEXI

Let me just get it out there: I Love Makeup Geek ! Since getting my first "few" shadows my collection has grown significantly and recently I updated it again :) I'd like to show you all the new shades that landed in my collection and see how I store them in my Inglot Flexi palette (courtesy of my lovely friend Dominika who purchased it for me back home where it's practically half price). The time has come and we'll have a little chat about new additions to my collection :)

Firstly, I did not plan on purchasing quite that many shades & the only reason I even looked at Beauty Bay was Makeup Geek new Spring/Summer '16 releases. There were few that caught my eye and few old shades came back in to stock so I couldn't say no to that now, could I? ;) Marlena, the brain behind Makeup Geek has announced all shades on her Youtube channel and I re-watched it few times to ensure I do my research before ordering all the shades. Thankfully only few really caught my eye: Anarchy, Tuscan Sun, Fashion Addict & Venom. All of these are just beautiful and I don't have any that match these in my MUG collection. I also ordered few cult shades that only just came back in stock and got I'm Peachless, Cosmopolitan, Cherry Cola Masquerade, Jester & Flame Thrower (I know, I know - I couldn't stop myself). I don't regret buying a single shade from MUG so far and I know, I'm already loving these, so it was all worth it :)

Inglot Freedom System Flexi Palette (RPR £16.00 - buy here) 

We all know and love Z-Palette, but I really wanted to try Inglot Flexi as I loved the way it opens and closes with the lid being held by 4 corner magnets. It's roughly the size of large Z- Palette and can hold up to 30 single shadows. What I really love about the empty palettes is my freedom to compose the palette of my dreams, not having to buy made up palettes where I may use half of the shadows but not the rest. You can also mix and match with your setting powders, contour powders, blushes, highlighters. Many professional brands like Inglot, Makeup Geek, Anastasia Beverly Hills, MAC & Make Up For Ever all have most of the products in their pro range available as per pan, so you can pick and choose your favourites :) 

Do I truly love Inglot Flexi? I do and I don't, If I have to be honest... There are few cons to owning the palette like this, for example when removing the pans, you can so easily stab the shadow with your nail. Or even opening of Flexi where the 4 magnets may just lift some of your shades from the palette and you drop them? I also don't feel too safe travelling with this palette, the magnets aren't so strong, and I'd worry constantly that it's open somewhere in my luggage. I must say I prefer Z- Palette to Inglot Flexi as I trust it more ;) 

Despite all that I still think it's well made, with heavy matte plastic and very presentable :) The price is similar to Z-Palette and yes, the material out of which Z-Palette is made may not be plastic, but overall I just prefer it.

MAKEUP GEEK EYESHADOW PANS 

(matte/shimmer/duochrome) RPR£4.95 & (foiled) RPR £7.95

                                                    

I'm Peachless - light beige with pink/peachy reflects, duochrome finish

Cosmopolitan - peach with golden shimmer running through 

Anarchy (new) - light cranberry with rose gold shimmer running through

Venom (new) - dark green, shimmer finish

Tuscan Sun (new) - medium peach, matte finish

Fashion Addict (new) - light pinky purple, matte finish

Cherry Cola - dark brown with purple tones, matte finish (similar to Bitten, less purple in the undertone)

Masquarade - purple with lilac tones, foiled finish

Flame Thrower - true copper, foiled finish

Jester - medium green, foiled finish 

Top row from left: Jester, Masquerade, Fashion Addict, Flame Thrower, Anarchy
Bottom row from left: Venom, Cherry Cola, Tuscan Sun, Cosmopolitan, I'm Peachless

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OVERVIEW:

All the shades have an amazing pigmentation, I mean there isn't a shade which isn't buttery and pigmented as hell. However new shades are quite something else. Is it a new formula Marlena has kept under wraps? I don't know what it is but they're even better pigmented and buttery than your usual Makeup Geek goodness. And I thought I don't need all 18 shades from the collection! Wrong lol. I may pick up a few more in a due course, but for now I'm settled with my collection. It's any warm tone maniac dream line - I practically have it all. I may need to update my collection with more neutrals and cool tones, to have a variation there,but how can I, if Marlena keeps bringing out all these? First impressions are super positive but I will continue to review and test all the shades in different conditions so I will report back, I'm sure :)

Thank you for reading,

Love

Dorota x

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Lipstick hoarder diaries - Stila All Day Liquid Lipsticks in Baci & Aria review with lip swatches

At the beginning of the year I have tasked myself with finding the best liquid lipstick formula out there and today's gems come pretty close. I have tested them both for over a month now & I finally sat down to write a little about these two shades for you. Stila All day Liquid Lipsticks are £15.00-£16.00 each and available stationary in Boots & Marks & Spencer (also online) and online only on various sites like Beauty Bay, Feel Unique or Look Fantastic.

Packaging varies as I ordered two shades and both came with slightly different packaging. I believe ones with black tops (and black writing) are the older ones to the ones with polished matte gold tops (also writing in gold). I'm not entirely sure if, when introducing different packaging product formula has changed, but I am inclined to think so, as the shade in the newer version works so much better for me & it's a lot more long lasting. I'm talking about Baci here. Problem I have is that Baci is a light, mauve nude where as Aria is a deep dark fuchsia with purple tones. The difference in shades means it's really difficult to decipher, if Baci lasts longer or the shade is lighter therefore when it disappears slightly, you can't really see it so badly as with Aria... 

Formula is light and only little creamy and goes well on the lips (no dragging, it's practically weightless). Both shades have great pigmentation and only a coat or two is needed to achieve truly opaque finish. It dries fully within 30 seconds to a minute. When dry it sits comfortably on the lips without drying them too much. With no food on a busy day Baci lasted on me 8 hours and Aria 6 to 6.5 hours. With food (salad with yogurt sauce) Aria disappeared in the middle of the lips, leaving just a contour behind. With a deep shade this is not a pretty look, so I had to re-apply. You can in fact re-apply without too much hassle and even rub your lips together to bring the colour from the contour to the middle of the lips. It looses on matte finish and pigmentation when you do so. I have eaten with Baci and saw colour rubbing off slightly but evenly, so huge difference there. However I must state again, this is a nude shade so even if it rubbed off more in the middle it was not so visible. 

Formula is enriched with vitamin E and avocado oil, so it hydrates (slightly!) and softens lips whilst wearing it. I must admit it feels weightless and doesn't look completely dried out after few hours of wear. For those of you preferring a healthier formulas, Stila All Day Liquid Lipsticks are formulated without the use of Parabens, Sulphates, Synthetic Dyes, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMOs and Triclosan.

Baci is a beautiful light mauve nude. It's cool toned and looks a little greyish but I absolutely adore this shade. Wear it alone or with lipliner to get your lips to stand out even more. Wearing it with pink lipliner will definitely take away from the ashy finish, but I love wearing it with cool toned brown lipliner like my recent favourite (if you follow me on Snapchat you know it's been my everyday staple) MAC Stone. I prefer wearing a lipliner, not only for slight ombre effect that's so in right now (looking at you Kylie Jenner) but mainly because it is such an ashy shade and pairing it with my paler than pale face with pink undertones can slightly wash you out making your lips disappear. Enter lip liner and you can rock it :) Applicator is great and precise, it truly helps with application when lip liner is used, but alone works just as well due to great shape of the tip.

Aria - ah Aria. Ok so the little story behind me buying this shade is simple. If you watch Pretty Little Liars (and I'm obsessed) you know of Aria and Ezra and all the forbidden love story. As a huge Ezria fan I had to get the Aria shade, it was just that simple ;) Shade itself is a beautiful deep fuchsia, slightly on the dark side and definitely cool toned. It will give your smile that wow factor making your pearly whites truly stand out. I recommend using a lip brush to line your lips first as the applicator takes on a lot of product and you can easily mess up the outer corners. Or use a corresponding lip liner, there's plenty to choose from at MAC. I recommend taking the lipstick with you and matching it up (or at least swatching it on your forearm). This shade will look pretty and different on different skin tones but I feel that it will suit all, from palest to darkest. I love this shade on me :) It will rub off the centre of the lips if you eat so re-applying is a must throughout the day, unless you're a machine and don't eat all day (which I don't recommend obviously!). I think it's because it's a dark shade. Light snacking is fine and doesn't disrupts the colour, however anything that has some oily/creamy residue will make it disappear. 

Overiew:

Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick comes pretty close to ideal, with the pigmentation and beautiful shade spectrum there's something there for everyone. Lots of my friends also use them and love the effect. It's not terribly drying and looks ultra matte on the lip so if you are a matte lip lover, I highly recommend giving the range a go :) Packaging matches all the liquid lipstick packaging being a lip gloss like with transparent plastic, so you know exactly what's in it. It's in a medium price range, roughly the same as MAC lipsticks so not everyone's cup of tea, but if you are on a lookout for a good quality liquid lip colour that's widely available in UK, Stila has got you covered :)

Thank you for reading,

Love

Dorota x

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GOING ORGANIC FEAT. NAOBAY - MY GO TO TONER & FACE SCRUB

Going organic when it comes to beauty is not as easy process as one would think. You'd say, organic is so in now, what is she on about. You are right of course, however I find that a lot of organic skincare just does not work with my super sensitive skin. Enter Naobay. I got introduced to a brand via a Glossybox, which is where both products have come from and I must say, I'm a convert. Today, I'd like to talk to you about Calming Face Toner and Moisturising Peeling which have been a daily staple in my morning and evening routine for two months now. 

I really love what the company stands for and their ingredients are truly one of the best I've seen. Furthermore there are ingredients that you will never find in any NAOBAY product because we also avoid any ingredient that research show may have a suspected human health risk such as:

PetrochemicalsArtificial preservatives

Artificial colorants/synthetic dyes

Parabens

Silicones

Mineral oils

Genetic modified ingredients

Sodium Laureth Sulphates (SLES)

Formaldehyde

Dioxins

Ethoxylated material

Paraffin / petrolatum

Isothiazolinones

PEG

BHT

Let's start with packaging, shall we? Most natural brands opts in for pretty boring and unattractive packaging. I can't be the one to think that? I love the design of Naobay products, as it clearly relates to the organic and natural products, as well as being pleasing on the eye. I love the combination of white and black writing and the wooden caps are just too lovely. This is where my praise ends, as I have a small complaint on both. Firstly the toner, as you would see from pictures, mine is far from perfect. When I first opened the cap, I was surprised to see the plastic 'block' which normally features a dosing bit is firmly in the cap, therefore I had to use (and waste!) the product straight from the bottle. It just distributes a lot more toner on to the pad than desired, meaning you're wasting a lot of product this way. When it comes to the peeling, I have a similar issue. There's nothing wrong with the packaging per se, however when it stands upright and you open it, there's so much product practically 'falling out'. I must always remember to be extra careful with it. 

Despite my less than pleasant experience with the packaging, however aesthetically pleasant, I must admit I love both the products. The smell of both formulas is quite strong but very pleasant, almost citrus like. I worried on the beginning this could be an issue for my sensitive skin, but glad to report this is not the case. I haven't experienced any negative reaction when using these and I use toner daly and peeling 3-4 times a week. 

Naobay Calming Face Toner (currently on offer on Beauty Bay for £9.00, click here) has been formulated using mostly (93.13%) natural ingredients. It cleanses, tones, soothes and purifies the skin in one go. I find that my skin feels very refreshed and it also helps to calm the redness caused by any cleansing irritation. For you ingredients junkies here's a list and if I say so myself it's a pretty good one:

Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract*, Centella Asiatica Extract*, Citric Acid.  * Ingredients from organic farming.

Naobay Moisturising Peeling (currently on 3 for 2 offer on Look Fantastic for £15.00) has been formulated using 98.82% of natural ingredients. Infused with natural peeling particles from Acai tree, its creamy formula soothes, moisturises and replenishes the complexion. It's quite "harsh" of a peel but I use slow and delicate motion and it hasn't irritated my skin in the slightest. In fact skin is super soft to touch after use. I like using it at evening mainly, post double cleanse. Check out the ingredients list now:

• Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylglucose Sesquistearate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dolcis Oil*, Euterpe Oleracea Pulp Powder*, Glycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum, Centella Asiatica Extract*, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, D-Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool. * Ingredients from organic farming.
  
  
  
  Despite little issues with the product waste due to the packaging, I fell in love with Naobay range and want to try more. Not only do they look amazing on my bathroom cabinet, but also actually work for my silly oversensitive skin. The citrus scent is just lovely but it doesn't linger for too long and it's most definitely ok to use for those of you with dry and sensitive skin. I have a lot left of my Face Peeling, so this should last me for a good year and already ordered a new toner on a promo on Beuaty Bay as I wasted a lot of product with the dosing cap issue. I hope this won't be the case for my next bottle, but if it will I will complain to the brand this time. I love the product and I hope it was just a single packaging issue :)
  Thank you for reading,
  Love
  
  
  Dorota x
  
  
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CULT OR NOT: THE BALM NUDE'TUDE, IS IT WORTH THE HYPE?

Hello Monday :) I hope you had an amazing weekend ! I come to you today with an eyeshadow palette review as I know you like these posts. In my first ever Cohorted box I received theBalm Nude'tude palette which I have been after for what seems like a very long time. Is it truly worth the hype? Let's see shall we?

Packaging gets a huge plus from me. It's hardened cardboard which I prefer as it's light, durable and travel friendly. It also hosts a nice mirror inside which is always a welcomed travel friendly addition. The design shows a picture of a perfect 'blogger friendly' bedroom and inside (as it's the 'naughty version') eyeshadows cover naked ladies body parts ;) I really adore theBalm vintage pin up packaging as it's fun and girly and in my opinion empowers women. Palette holds 12 shadows, 8 shimmers and 4 mattes as well as double ended brush, which I don't use as it's not the best quality. It's not terrible but I have plenty of better brushes to work with. 

Shades:

Pro’s	Con’s
creamy & blendable	some fallout
can be used wet & dry	no beige/white matte shade
packaging with mirror	price
design	only one transition shade

Sassy- frosted white, great pigmentation, beautiful highlight shade

Stubborn- light to medium peach with light frosted finish, good pigmentation, lovely all over shade 

Snobby- medium yellow with metallic finish, good pigmentation, not my favourite shade based on colour onlybut works as highlight shade well

Stand-offish- warm medium bronze with a lot of metallic shimmer, great pigmentation, beautiful shade

Selfish- metallic finish taupe, great pigmentation. Great shade for taupe (mushroom like) lovers.

Sophisticated- warm dark brown with bronze shimmer, great pigmentation

Sultry- warm medium brown with satin semi-matte finish, lovely transition shade (only one in the palette which is a shame)

Seductive- medium to dark bronze with metallic gold shimmer, great pigmentation

Sexy- matte dark plum/burgundy, beautiful shade, superb pigmentation - my absolute favourite in the palette 

Silly- dark brown with red undertones and copper shimmer, good pigmentation but a lot of fallout

Serious- matte black, one of the blackest black I've seen, great shade

Sleek- very dark brown, matte finish, great pigmentation

Overview:

I really enjoy using this palette. Shades are super blendable, mattes work beautifully, even with a little fallout. I'm totally in love with Sultry & Sexy from mattes offerings and Sassy & Stand-offish from shimmers, but if I have to be honest I've seen better shimmers with less fallout with shades from Makeup Revolution. Mattes, however are brilliant to work with. I miss a white or beige shade, which makes this palette not complete in my opinion, as there's no shade to set your primer and under brow with. You will need a separate shade to complete a look. This palette is called brilliant for daytime looks, however with only mattes being on a darker side, I find it's a better palette for more evening/sophisticated looks, but that's only my personal opinion. Is it worth it's price? Well, quality is definitely similar to Naked palettes which are similar in price point, so I understand the hype around it. However it is most definitely the palette you can live without as it's not complete without a matte beige. For non palette enthusiasts and looking for one and only palette - this is definitely one which you can pass on. For the rest of us, the eyeshadows lovers - you will most definitely find shades here you will fall in love with.

Don't forget to enter my Makeup Revolution giveaway where you can grab new Flawless 2 palette and a Rose Gold lipstick and more, to name a couple. It's open internationally so don't miss out :) click here now !!!

Thank you for reading,

Love

Dorota x

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