My Makeup Collection/Storage

I always find it enjoyable perusing through other bloggers ways of storing their makeup/makeup collection posts. I find them inspiring and they can give you some great ideas of how to set your own up. Plus, I think we all do love a good nosey if we're being truthful. It must be a woman thing?

Quite a while ago, I uploaded a post about My Dressing Table set up and how I stored my beauty essentials. However, I haven't written an actual makeup collection post before. Due to me soon moving out, and into my first home with my boyfriend, I thought that I would put this little post together. As in the next month, my makeup storage will look completely different as I will be in a completely different location. I'm really excited!

As before, I'm still storing my makeup in the little chest of drawers below. You can pick yourself one of these up from WHSmiths - they have all different designs, so you can choose one to suit yourself.

The drawers consist of three small drawers, two medium and one large drawer at the bottom.


Here is how I store my makeup brushes;

I wanted them to be at hand, in an easy to reach place. I picked up these little vase/fishbowl type glass bowls from Hobbycraft as well as the small clear beads inside to aid the brushes to be kept in standing position.

Most of my makeup brushes consist of Sigma brushes, with the odd MAC and couple of Elf brushes. I also have just a few random ones which I've accumulated over the years from various makeup kits.


Next up, I have a little black box where I keep my rings, and an old Glossybox where I store my false eyelashes. The empty Glossyboxes come in really handy for storage.

Now that you have seen my actual storage methods, I've broken down the photos into what I keep in each drawer of my Cupcake chest. I do like to be as organised as I can, keeping similar items together in one drawer.

The 1st drawer; Various Highstreet Lipsticks

Lipsticks by Topshop, MUA, Barry M, Revlon, Elf, and Sleek.



The 2nd Drawer; High End Lipstick brands

MAC lipsticks in the shades - Myth, Creme D'nude, Viva Glam Gaga 2, Hue, Creme Cup x2, Shy Girl, Vegas Volt, Costa Chic, Impassioned, Cruella Deville Venomous Villains, Up the Amp, Ravishing, Snob.
YSL Lipstick in Peach Fambourg.

The 3rd Drawer; Other lip products both a mixture of high and low end brands.

Lipliners by MAC & Topshop, Lipglosses by MAC, Dior, Eyeko, Barry M, MeMeMe, Bourjois.



The 4th Drawer; Blushers and Bronzers

MAC MSF Natural in Medium Plus, MAC MSF in Soft & Gentle, MC Bronzer in Refined Golden, MAc Blushers in Style, Well Dressed, Blushbaby & Dessert Rose, Elf blushers in Candid Coral, Tickled Pink, Pink Passion, Elf Bronzer, Bourjois Chocolate bronzer & Bronzers by Gosh, H&M, Eyeko Tinted Cream.



The 5th Drawer; Foundations, Concealer, Tinted Moisturisers.

MAC Studio Fix Fluids in NW20, NW22 x2, NW25 and NW30, Revlon Photoready foundation in 004, 005 x2 and 007, Benefit High Beam highlighter, Chanel Mat Lumiere in 50, Lancome concealer, various Dior, Clains & Bobbi Brown samples, No7 & Liz Earle tinted moisturiser, Vivo highlighting cream.



The 6th Drawer; All things eye related - Shadows, liners, mascara.

Various liquid liners, eye pencils in various brands, mascara, x2 Sleek eyeshadow palettes in Storm & Original. Urban Decay naked palette, MAC pigment pot, Urban Decay palette (not sure on the name, but it has a gun on the packaging, HD Brows palette, various Barry M dazzle dusts, MUA pots, Elf duos and H&M shadows. Empty MAC quad (for when I travel).


My larger palettes;

MAC eyeshadow palette (incomplete) with shades Carbon, Nylon, Woodwinked, Satin Taupe, Wedge.
Elf 32 pc eyeshadow palette and eBay Blush Palette.


My false eyelashes;

Various eBay lashes, Vivo, MAC and random glues.

So, there you have it - my makeup collection/storage in all it's glory. I do feel that it has grown rapidly since joining the beauty community. However, i do not feel the need to hoard crazy amounts as some do. Collecting vast amounts of makeup is quite a few peoples hobbies, just not for me. All the makeup I do have, I use and none goes to waste. If i do come across something I don't use, I will usually pass on to my Mum, sister or friends rather than hoard it.

I'd love to see your posts, so if you have them, feel free to link me in the comments.

How do you store your makeup? What do you think to makeup collections? Are you an impulse buyer? Do you buy something just because it's raved about? Or do you prefer to only repurchase when you've ran out? I'd love to hear your thoughts..



My Unwanted Beauty Box: January

Before I get into this blog post, I would first and foremost like to thank my lovely friend Maxine for planting this little seed of an idea in my head, after watching one of her vlogs.

Since the New Year, I haven't really set myself any New Years Resolutions as per say. However, after watching Maxine's vlog about using up makeup, I thought to myself "I have to do this!" As a beauty blogger, it's rather easy to get sucked into the whole 'Monkey see, Monkey want' syndrome when it comes to makeup and beauty products. This has resulted in me ending with with drawers and boxes full of makeup/products/lotions/potions/you name it which I don't really need. Even after buying all of these items, I still stick to repurchasing my favourite products, thus, then leaving loads of barely used products.

The whole idea of this Beauty Resolution is so that I can use up lots of my barely touched makeup.

Here's what I've done: (and you can do it too!)

- Sort through your makeup and beauty products. Get together all the items which you never use, or which need using up!

- Store them all together in some kind of box.

- Vow to use those products daily until used up, and save your favourite products until then!

Here's whats in my unwanted beauty box;



What's in there? & the reasons they're there?

Bodyshop Pomegranate Bodybutter
I hate the smell of this. I actually bought this online not knowing what it smelled of and as soon as it arrived, yack! I hated it. I'm almost through it though. I use it mainly on my legs so that the smell is out of my noses proximity.

Loreal Shampoos
These are from my hair dye kits, which always end up building up and I never use. Hey, it's shampoo! Might as well whack it on the head!

Neutrogena Blackhead Scrub
I usually use my Liz Earle cleanse and polish, so everything else for my face gets pretty much neglected. I have officially put my Liz Earle to the back of my drawer and doing this little swapsie to use up this product.

Simple Toner
Same as above really, I prefer the Liz Earle toner. This just needs using up.

Soft & Gentle deodorant
A huge big cloud of white smoke? No thanks, say no more.

Spa magik salt brushing
I usually use Soap & Glory's Breakfast scrub once a week, but after receiving this salt scrub in a Glossybox, I haven't gotten round to trying it out.

Avon Soloutions day/night cream
I have far too many face creams, and these are the ones I never tend to use.

Eyeko and Bodyshop lipgloss
I hate lip gloss in a squeezy tube formula, it goes on so messy and your seem to have no control over it. I'll just be using them for work every day, but sticking to my old ye faithful lipsticks at the weekend.

Elf blush
This shade is Tickled Pink. i never really get round to using it, but after using this colour for the past two days I actually really like it for day wear. This may end up being repurchased.

Tiny samples from MAC and Pixi
I have too many teeny samples floating around making my drawers look messy so they need using up.

MAC NC35 Studio Fix Fluid
I am not a cool shade at all, this foundation is far too yellow one me. Lord knows why the lady at MAC matched me up to this colour. It was my first ever MAC foundation and I still have it now. It's almost gone and I'm so glad as then I can save the empty for the 'Back to MAC' scheme.

MAC Creme Cup lipstick
I really need to finish this lipstick off so I can save the empty for 'back to MAC'. I love this lipstick and always repurchase it every time I run out.


So, there we have it, lots of little items which will finally get to fulfil their makeup destiny and actually make the journey onto my face! Ha ha. I do think this is a really good idea to save yourself some money and also so not to waste previously bought products which you might have just bought on a whim.

Let me know if you're joining in the Unwanted Beauty Box Resolution...

Welcome the Winter

We all hate it when those blistery cold months begin creeping up on us. I used to love snow, but unfortunately now, just the thought of a snowdrop on the ground leaves me anxious (it must be a driver thing). I know that I'm not alone on this. Who would choose to be freezing cold, when you could be sporting your shades in the sunshine? Am I right?

Well, I decided to cast my bad relationship with winter aside and actually embrace the colder months. By simply enjoying those little simple things that come as part and parcel of winter. Hopefully, you will be able to put your winter blues aside and enjoy these little lovely things too!

Here are a few little things I like to do in Winter;

Bake:

There's nothing better than taking a little peek in your cook book at something yummy to whip up. If you're wondering what these little treasures are, they're little chocolate buns with gooey melted chocolate filling. Super amazing when you bite into them! Mmmm.

Snuggle up:
Cosy nights in. You can't beat them! And what better to invest in to make your snuggly night in front of the telly so much better? A pair of fluffy slipper boots with pom poms! I love mine, I got them recently from Primark - £4.

Dive into a Book:
I love reading, but I find that I don't often have time to just sit and read for hours on end. I'm a really busy lady. Although, now that it's colder, I've really enjoyed snuggling into bed early with a good book. I'm currently reading two at the moment. Both of which I would highly recommend. I haven't read a really good book in a while. The first being 'One Moment, One Morning' - a dramatic, keeps you guessing kind of book. I'm only half way through it and can't seem to put it down! The other book is a Body Language Book. For years I have found body language and the secrets it holds utterly fascinating. How you can read a person just by the way they hold themselves. My lovely friend actually bought this book as a present for me, and kindly popped it in my work locker to brighten my morning!

Pamper yourself:
Want to warm yourself up and relax at the same time? Just the thought of a bubbly bath makes me want to jump into one straight away! Stock up on Bubble baths, bath bombs and luxury bathing items ready for those lazy nights when you've had a hard day at work. I like to keep my Lush products in a little heart shaped wire basket - it's a great way of storing them.

Invest in some Winter Woollies:
I couldn't resist a recent lap of honour in the old ye faithful, Primark. I can always count on the fact that when I step foot in primark, I'll always walk out with a carrier bag full of goodies in my hand. What better way to stock up your wardrobe for the colder months, than the Primark way! Cheap and cheerful! (All three jumpers bought from Primark recently and range between £8 and £14)

Winter Colours:
Sort out your winter coloured makeup/nail varnishes etc and put the summery colours to the back of your drawer. They're going to get lots of use these next few months! I love to go for rusty colours, browns, and deep reds.

Love Movies:
I've had my Lovefilm subscription for a good couple of years now and I absolutely love it. For those warm cosy nights in, what better to do than to pop a film on and snuggle up on the settee. With free delivery, you can't really go wrong. Create our own movie list online, sit back and wait for your first DVD to arrive. Simples. I love it!

Light Candles:
They're relaxing. They smell delicious. They make your house look cosy. What better thing to do than to fill your room with pretty tea lights?

Fill your Tummy:
But.. don't go overboard. I'm trying to watch my calorie intake, but when it comes to to treats, I have such a sweet tooth. A great alternative to big fatty puddings are these amazing fruit crumbles by Weight Watchers. They're only 170cal per pot! Bonus!


I hope you enjoyed reading! What are your favourite things to do in Winter time?

White Blazer

 Blazer: H&M  |  Dress: New Look  |  Pendant: Dorothy Perkins  |  Rings: Primark, Dorothy Perkins

I have actually fallen in love with my white blazer. I recently purchased it from H&M, and ever since that glorious day it arrived in the post, its safe to say that it has been a staple item in my wardrobe. I can literally throw it on over anything, and it can smarten up any outfit. I think it looks great for a night time look when you want to dress up, or for a casual look for daytime wear. Either way, I've been rocking it most weekends.

With the colder months quickly approaching, I figured I would need something to slip on over my outfits on a night out. There is nothing worse than spending your time shivering in a queue outside a bar/club. Call me old, but I think I'm getting to that stage where warmth is over-riding the importance of looking good. I can feel my sensible head coming along! Ha, ha!

What are your staple wardrobe items for this Autumn?

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint

Last month, the lovely ladies at Liz Earle kindly sent me their new Skin Tint to try out, which is due to launch this month. I love my foundations and full coverage, but when it comes to one of those lazy days when you can't really be bothered to make much of an effort (yes, we all know the ones), it's always nice to have a product at hand that can brighten up your face with very little effort.

I love using tinted moisturisers when I'm away on holiday, as you literally jump out of bed and want to hit the pool straight away to avoid missing any of the glorious sunshine and chance to grab a sun tan. The last thing you want is to spend 30mins in front of the mirror putting your face on. However - you do still want to look like a sun goddess, and not like you've literally just rolled out of bed.

This is why I love tinted moisturisers. They give your skin coverage, without looking cakey, and still enabling the vitamin D to soak into your pores.

Unfortunately for me, I'm not going on holiday this year, due to saving up to move in with my boyfriend and also saving for a new car. So, the skin tint for me has been a 15minutes time saver in a morning. I've been wearing it every day for work since I received it.

I was also kindly sent an information pack, so that I could fill you lovely ladies in on Liz Earle's new Sheer Skin Tint.

Liz Earle quotes;
"We have formulated a unique, high performance beauty must-have that delivers great results on all skin types. Sheer Skin Tint is our first step into effortless, easy to wear colour. It's a skin thing!"

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint will be available from 15th September 2011.
£21.00/40ml in 3 shades; Bare, Beige, Beach.

I opted for the medium shade 'Beige', this looks well on my skin with or without a tan as I have been testing out over the past couple of weeks.

Here is a little swatch guide for you of Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in 'Beige' on my skin...

Make me Blush

I actually almost forgot to tell you lovely ladies about last months exciting eBay purchase. This blog draft was simply wallowing away in my 'draft posts list' and was almost dismissed - but alas, I hunted it down!

The reason why I'm really excited to you the low down on my new Blush Palette is because of many reasons, with one main reason. That reason being; there are some down-right amazing MAC dupes.

Here is the said palette in all it's glory; *Awaits the sound of Angels Harmonising*

 

Pretty huh?

And you'll never guess how much I bagged it for? A mere five British pounds. Bargain-alious if you ask me!

I'm sure you're all really excited to hear about which MAC dupes are present in this palette. Colours included dupes of; Style, Dessert Rose, Well Dressed, Melba, Pinch O' Peach, Dollymix & Coygirl. There are probably more dupes amongst all these lovely colours. But, the ones I have listed are MAC blushes I own/have owned in the past, so I have been able to compare the colours - the resemblance being uncanny.

To say this palette is such good value for money, the blushes themselves are highly pigmented. I really cannot praise this product enough.

You can find them on eBay, but simply typing in '28 Blush Palette' to your search box.

My Dressing Table

Large Black Mirror - B&M
No7 light up mirror - Boots
Cupcake Storage Drawers - WHSmiths
Glass bowls & beads - Hobby Craft
Black trinket box - A gift

I was inspired to do this post for myself after seeing the gorgeous Zoe's Dressing Table blog post. I love being nosey and taking a peek around other peoples bedrooms/vanity areas etc.

In my cupcake drawers, I store all of my makeup, it's actually really handy - although they're getting a little full now. I recently purchased the cute bowls for my makeup brushes also. I love how they're easily accessible and look pretty too!

I'd love to see your vanity areas too.