Haul time & reviews ft. Urban Decay, Stila, Catrice, NYX & more!

Hey!

Woo! Collective haul time! I got these things over  2 - 3 weeks, from various places online and in stores.

Be forewarned: this is pretty long!

I'll get straight into it and start with the eyeshadows and eye things first..

So here we go!

Favourites: March/April!

Hey guys, I hope I'm not too late with this post! If you haven't seen my Favourites for January/February post, check it out and see what's changed!

Included here are a few new buys that I picked up on my Holiday in Spain, I hope you enjoy!

Here we go...

March/April Favourites with Catrice, Essence, Lioele

NYX Powder Blush in 'Natural' - I mentioned these blushes in my Wishlist: May! post because I'm lusting over more shades of these. They are so pigmented! I wear this shade regularly and even though the shade is called ' Natural' I feel it gives a more pinky blush to my cheeks. It's super soft and easy to blend out tocreate a subtle flush of colour.

Sephora Contour Blush/Bronze Brush - I picked this up in Spain and it's actually becoming my Holy Grail blush brush (do they even exist??). It's really precise when it comes to applying blush/bronzer to the cheeks and blends highly pigmented blushes out really well.

theBalm Lipstick in 'Ima Goodkisser' - theBalm isn't available in Ireland, but I've seen them online, and the packaging is just too quirky to ignore that I had to pick something up. The shade I got is a light, natural looking pink with a hint of peachiness to it. It's really creamy and glides on a dream. Another thing I noticed about it is that it leaves your lips with a cool minty feeling, it didn't mention anything about it on the box but I don't mind!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in 'Addis Ababa' - Ok, this I got for the colour primarily. But it's actually a lovely product. Even though it dries matte, it is in no way drying on your lips. It's very pigmented and you only need a thin layer. It has really good staying power, and is perfect for layering over a lipstick to alter the colour. I've used it several times over my ELF Mineral Lipstick in 'Natural Nymph' for a really soft baby pink look.

No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara - I got this free in boots in a little case with various other No. 7 goodies, I mentioned it in my haul post, but I hadn't used it much then. Now though I can't get enough of it! I only got the travel sized version, but I'm seriously considering buying the full sized version!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 'Beige Clair' - I was in need of a good coverage foundation and saw Hannah from Midnight Violets mention the Healthy Mix Serum So I went to Boots and checked it out. It has really good coverage, but without looking cakey at all.

Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream - After seeing Shaaanxo use this as a base under her foundation I decided to do some research on Asian bb creams, etc., and thought it looked really good. After getting some samples and trying it on its own and under my regular foundation I decided to bite the bullet and go for it! It's really good and I love the smell (is that weird..?) It has really good coverage on its own, which means I don't have to use as much foundation to get the coverage I want, therefore saving product!

Essence Fix & Matte Loose Setting Powder - I got this aages ago but only really started using it recently. It's so finely milled it's amazing. It makes such a difference to the look of your face. And because it's so finely milled it doesn't appear to 'cling' to the tiny hairs on your face. It's translucent as well, so it doesn't make your makeup look 'heavy' or alter the colour/coverage.

And finally...
Catrice Nail Polishes - All of them! They come in such gorgeous colours, it's so hard to resist. The one I got most recently is 'Genius in a Bottle'. It's a copper/forest green iridescent colour that changes depending on the angle. They are pretty opaque - two coats is plenty. They also have one of those flat brushes for application which I really like, as it makes it a lot easier.


Phew! So those are the products I've been loooving these past months. What have been your favourites lately? Have you got a holy grail brush or other product? Let me know in the comments!!
I hope you enjoyed and come back soon!

Don't forget you can find me on Twitter, Instagram & She Said Beauty - to name a few! My Live Twitter/Instagram feed can be found in the sidebar, along with all my other blogging sites.

Ta-ta for now!  xo

Weekend Essentials - Back to Basics!

Hey everybody! How are all of you lovely people?? 

I thought I'd share with you today my "weekend away essentials". These are what I would consider the must haves for a weekend away or even for a holiday. I think these items (give or take one or two) would also suffice as a beginners essentials. So lets get into it! 

My first item is an ingenious one, and it comes from The Collection (formerly collection 2000). 

It's their Cover & Go Foundation and Concealer Duo. It's a lovely medium coverage foundation, available in three shades, and it comes with a little compartment in the lid that has concealer and a small mirror in it. This is great because I think its better to have as many multitasking products as possible! 

My next item is a mascara. I've gone with NYC Big Curl. But of course you can choose whatever one you like! This mascara has a huge want to give maximum volume - and very affordable. 

You could leave it at that if you wanted to be super minimalistic, but I've chosen a couple other optional must haves. 

I always use a setting powder for my foundation, I find it prevents it from rubbing off on clothes etc., and also gives my skin a smooth appearance. At home I use Essence Fix & Matte Loose Setting Powder, but loose powders can be extremely messy so aren't ideal for travelling with. I chose a pressed powder from The Natural Collection. These are the least messy and I really like the formulation of the Natural Collection's powders. 

Another optional that i've chosen is liquid eyeliner - classic cat eye never fails! You could also go for a kohl or pen eyeliner. I don't favour gel or cream liners for travel as they can be a bit fiddly with brushes and that. 

Finally something that I personally love to have with me is a lipstick. Generally a muted, your-lips-but-better shade does the job for me. If you're not a lippy person something that I always have x10 of in my handbag is a tinted lipbalm, perfect for a hint of colour!  

One other thing that is probably only relevant if you want to bring powder is a brush of powder puff. I have one from primark which is perfect size for traveling - and it's amazing for the price! Seriously love it, especially as its pink!

That's it for my weekend away essentials!Thanks for reading & I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know in the comments if you have anything you would add to the list. What is your number one item that you cannot live without no matter where you go? 

Find me all over the web - twitter, instagram & She Said Beauty (these can all be found in the sidebar too!)

Ta-ta for now! xo

My Wishlist: May!

Hey everybody, I hope you're all well!

It's time to do my wishlist again - already? Time's gone so fast!
I have a couple of items scratched off my April Wishlist, and on their way to me, but I've seen so many more things I'm lusting over since then.
I'm also due for a favourites post too, and there's so many new products I've discovered since the last one, exciting!

But enough waffling from me, on with the show!

Wishlist: May! with Wet n Wild, wef, srth

Stila Illuminating Powder Duo in Kitten - I've seen lots of reviews of this product, and after trying Benefit's High Beam highlighter, I think either a cream or powder highlight suits me better. Shaaanxo uses this in nearly all her videos and it gives a beautiful dewy finish, without being too 'in your face'. I have an E.L.F fan brush on it's way, so I'm excited to see how this works out!

NYX Powder Blushes - I have one in 'Natural' which I got in Spain, and I love them. I love the formula of them. They're super soft and perfectly pigmented. I've heard the darker browney shade 'Taupe' can be used as a contouring shade so that is definitely going on my list.

NYX Lipsticks - I have one of these on it's way from Cherry Culture, in 'Narcissus', along with some lip liners too. Their matte lipsticks are supposed to have a great formula that isn't too drying on the lips. And they come in so many shades. I've fallen in love with lipsticks lately so I'm definitely going to get more of them.

Milani Lipgloss - I'm going to admit it right now - I really want these mainly because they're dupes for MAC Lipglasses. I don't wear lipgloss that much but the one I have my eye on is a dupe for Nymphette by MAC, which looks fab on bare lips.

MAC Lipstick in Snob, Girl About Town - I've decided to bite the bullet and go for it, I'm thinking of asking a friend of mine who lives where there's a Brown Thomas, to pick me up a MAC lipstick. I love lipstick so much right now, I feel I should invest in at least one high end one. The two colours I'm deciding between are Snob and Girl About Town. I like the look of Snob moreso than Girl ABout Town as I think I might have a dupe for it lying around somewhere.


Wet 'n Wild Palettes - These are a drugstore holy grail in America, I hear so much about them everywhere. I have to find out a cheap way to get them to me, here in Ireland! 'Walking on eggshells' is the most popular palette as far as I know, but I'd love to try some new, bright colours.

Make-up Academy Matte Perfect Primer - Ever since I saw Hannah from Midnight Violets review this and compare it to Benefit's 'The POREfessional' I've been um-ing and ah-ing over ordering it from the MUA Website. I absolutely adore my Benefit primer but the price is what puts me off a bit. I only have a sample size so it runs out quite quickly too.

And finally..
L'Oreal Top Coat Confetti - Since I've gotten into painting my nails more and more often, and seeing as it's summer soon (yay!) I'd love this so I could do a 'Mini Egg Mani'. I've been collecting a couple more nail polishes recently and I've decided that I'll do a Haul Post of my new ones and also maybe a tutorial post on any interesting manis I do!


That's it for my May Wishlist! Thanks for reading & as always, take a peep at my twitter, instagram & She Said Beauty profiles, they can also be found in the sidebar!
Let me know in the comments what you think of the items on my wishlist! Have you got any of them? Have you invested in a more high-end product, if so, was it what you expected? 

Ta-ta for now! xo

My wishlist: April!

Hey! So I thought I'd get started on my wishlist posts. You may have seen me mention it in the features post I put up a few days ago. I'm aiming to one every month for the following month (if that makes sense?) So in March (now) I'll do my wish list for April and so on. 

Many of the items are dupes for high end/expensive ones that I would love, but alas! I will put the original item in brackets. ALSO there are a lot of e.l.f products in my list so sorry in advance! 

Lets begin!

Update: BB Creams and TK Maxx!

Hey everyone!

Just a short post to say I love TK Maxx - here's why...

So I was in there browsing for summer clothes for Spain and as always I wandered over to the makeup/hair/general beauty section (there's some sort of magnetic attraction, I'm telling you!) and there in the midst of old lady soap and anti wrinkle creams were two little eyeshadow pots. One was a duo with a rose-gold shade and a glittery shimmery beige colour. The other was black with green shimmers going through them. Both from the company Too Faced. I checked the price on them and I actually had butterflies in my tummy - original price €21,00 & €20,50. Tk Maxx price..... €5,99!!

Of course I bought one! I went for the pink/beige duo (Bon Bon), I didn't get the black/green one (Galaxy) as I don't think I would have really used it that much and would have probably have been put into my swap box. But there you go! That's the second time I've found some real gems in TK Maxx. (A few weeks ago I picked up two Harajuku Lovers Perfumes for 24€ for both.)

Aaand now BB creams! I've been really into them recently - so has everyone it seems!? And as such have been researching them heavily. You may have seen my review of the L'Oreal BB cream which I was fairly pleased with. After using it a few more times I found the "smart pigment capsules" didn't dissolve (?) properly leaving me looking a bit pastey. After that I gave up and it's now in my swap box.
Recently though, since watching some of Shaaanxo's videos and seeing that she uses a korean BB cream by Lioele I started looking up the different asian bb creams which are truer than the american/uk BB creams as they are the originals.

I then found someone from New Zealand who said she could post me some samples of Lioele BB creams (yay!). I got them recently and have fallen in love! They're super smooth and have good coverage, but are still light. I use them as a base for my foundation which saves me from using so much to get good coverage.
Anyway, they were only samples so obviously I've been looking all over the internet to find somewhere I can get them from. When lo and behold I find someone looking to sell hers for ~8€ (12$)!!

I can't wait to get it and of course after I've been using it for a while I'll have a review up for you all!

What gems have you discovered in TK Maxx or a similar shop? 
Have you found you're holy grail product recently? Are you still looking? Let me know in the comments!

As alway find me on twitter, instagram, pinterest & now she said beauty! (All can be found in the sidebar on the home page too!)

Ta-ta for now! xo 

January/February Favourites 2013

Hey guys & dolls! 

So as you may have read in my previous post I have set new goals for this year's blogging! New features and everything! 

This is the first bi-monthly favourites post (so the next one will be end of April), with all my faves of January and February. These are all items that have been permanently on my window sill (where I do my makeup) for the last 2+ months. So without further ado.... Here we go!

Update: Favourites, Wishlists & more!

What up everybody?!

Just a quick update on some plans for features I want to implament...

I've been spending more & more time (too much in some cases!) looking at youtube videos and other beauty blogs trying to pick up tips and ideas on weekly posts or something similar.

I have decided that I'm going to start doing a bi-monthly faves post and also a wish list post every couple of weeks. This will have all the items I really want to get my hands on and why I want to get my hands on them.

My first NAKED Palette!

Ah! So I got the Urban Decay Naked Palette (the first one), and today was my first day trying it. It came with the Urban Decay Primer Potion, which I haven't tried before, but so far (it's 11:20pm now), it's stayed on all day with no creasing or anything! 

I've seen so much about this palette everywhere online and I've been looking for a neutral palette for a while now, so I thought why not. 

No. 7, 17 and more!

Whatsupeverybody!

I hope you are all in the spring spirit, I know I am!

Back to business! So today I went for a little shop as I got a Boots voucher from my Grandmother for my birthday. I don't normally get stuff in Boots, I don't know why..?? They have really good deals for what you get.



Pour example: Buy 2 No. 7 products and get a beautiful ballerina makeup bag with four little surprises (worth 34€) inside!

I was like oh my god. I really like No. 7, they have the best lipsticks in my opinion.

So my two bought items were No. 7 Stay Perfect Metallic Eyes Pencil in Purple, and No. 7 Sheer Temptation Lipstick in Lovely.




And inside the gorgeous ballerina pouch was:

• No. 7 Moisture Drench in Mulberry
• No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara
• No. 7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Mauve
• No. 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Day Cream

I haven't tried any of these yet, but I do plan to tomorrow! I'm very excited! 

But wait! There's more!? 

Yep, there is! It didn't stop there... I also got two 17 products as they were Buy One Get One 1/2 Price. Eep! Offers galore. 

So from 17 I got Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks, and 18hr Stay Time Concealer. Again, I haven't tried them yet but I will let you all know how it goes! 

Yeahh... Then I went to Primark and got the Essence Brow Set, Lash & Brow Gel, and a make up sponge. 

Here's the catch - it's a 'Beauty Blender' replica..?! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I've seen some comparisons between the BB and a Sonia Kushak Blender available in the US, and the BB came out on top. 

As with the rest of the stuff, it hasn't been tested yet. I did put it on water to see if it swelled up in size, and it definitely did - 3x the size! This was the major difference in performance of the BB and the Sonia Kushak one. It feels nice to touch but I still don't know what it will be like. 

The real ones are supposed to produce an "airbrushed" look to your foundation. Hmmm, we'll see I guess! 

If anyone has tried the beauty blender, or even a knock off version of it let me know in the comments below! 

Don't forget to check me out on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Ta-ta for now!

e.l.f Haul!

Sooo! I finally got my first set of elf cosmetics.

I mentioned in the previous post that I ordered their All Over Cover Stick, Mineral Infused Primer, Mineral Foundation, Lip Stain with Gloss, Lip Liner and Powder Puffs.

Love is in the air!

"Is it hot in here or it just me? If ya know what I mean.."




Well hello there! 

It's getting awfully close to valentines, don'tcha think? (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge). And now's the time to consider gifts! 

I know it can be tough, queens (and toms!), but fear not, The Pretentious Kitten is here to help! 

I'm here to tell you all you need to know about creating the Purrrfect Pamper Package for your significant other. 

Rather than make this a big long post on everything, I'll break each of them up into their main components, so you can sift through them easier, then I'll do a post on how you can package it all up prettily! 

Each item is very diverse and you can tailor it to your SO's likes and preferences!


News Just In..!

If you haven't visited my Pinterest page yet, what are you doing??! 
Get on over there and check out my boards! You can find all sorts of things there from all over the place. 

Feel free to leave feedback in the comment section.

Thanks for popping by, and come back soon!
Ta-ta for now

Apologies and Updates

Hey everybody!

I feel awful I haven't stayed true to my promise of a post but fear not, I will be back soon. It's been busier than expected and all other things going on.

But let's move on!

Here's something I made earlier!

What's up party people?

Just a quick post I thought I'd put up of something I did.. 5 minutes ago.



Sooo, here is my unflattering face!

Aand this is how I did it...
I decided to mess around with some colour combinations, and I got this turquoise and copper look.
I stuck with more shadowy, dramatic shades for my lips and bronzer for contouring.

I used Colour Works Eyeliner for the turquoise, they're big fat eyeliner pencils so it worked perfect for the lid.

Then I used Bourjois Blanc Diaphane from right under the brow to the crease, and blended it with the turquoise just a little bit.

For the copper liner, I used Essence Eye base mixed with Essence pigments in Copper.
I did this along the lower lash line also, then used the turquoise on the waterline.

I did my top waterline with Kajal Kohl eyeliner.

For my lashes, I first used a little NYC Skyline mascara to thicken the base of my lashes, then went over them with Maybelline GlamEyes Volume & Lift mascara. Top and bottom. 

I used NYC Sun 2 Sun bronzer to contour my cheeks and jaw. 

Then applied a little Maybelline Brush Blush in Sweetheart Rose just on the apples of my cheeks and swept it up towards my temples. 

For my lips, I used an eyebrow pencil (Rimmel London profession eyebrow pencil in Hazel) to line my lips shading slightly around the outer corners inwards. I used the brown as it darkens the pink lipstick I used (Maybelline Water Shine lipstick in Rose Jam). I dusted with the gold powder from the NYC bronzer to set it and went over the liner a bit more. 

The pics aren't great, I was only using my bf's iPhone in bad light. But, I just thought I'd share this with my lovely kitties!

Feedback is appreciated!

Ta-ta for now! 

Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Quattro & Eyebase Review

Hey kittens! 

As promised, here's my review on the 'Cherry Blossom Girl Quattro' by Essence as well as their Colour Arts Eye-base that I bought the other day while browsing the essence make-up counter. 

I think starting off with the eye primer is appropriate, so let's begin!

L'Oréal BB Cream Review

So, the other day I was just browsing the drugstore to see what was new and if there was anything interesting on the shelves, when I came across this:

L'Oréal's BB Cream. 

It's not very thick, more of a liquid than a cream and is very light. Texture wise, it has these small granules that are "Smart Pigment Capsules". These adapt to you're skin tone and match it almost exactly.

It starts out white, with the little granules visible, but as you rub it into your skin it changes to match your skin tone, and the granules disintegrate. 

I found it adapted to my skin tone very well. I chose the 'Medium' tone, as I prefer a foundation that is slightly darker than my natural skin tone in the winter months, so as not to look too washed out after my tan has faded (I normally use just a lightly tinted moisturiser in the summer to keep my skin hydrated).

I found it a little oily at first, not so much as to be uncomfortable, or make you look shiny, but by the time I had gotten even coverage it was gone. I would suggest using a translucent powder on top just to set it as I found it needed an extra minute or two to completely set/soak into your skin and not accidentally come off on clothes or rub off even on your fingers. The powder I use, that has served me well over the past year or two, is definitely NYC's Pressed Translucent Powder. It's not expensive at all but still excellent quality.

I found it applied better with my fingers than with my foundation brush. I'm not sure if this is maybe because of it's low viscosity. I'm not the biggest fan of applying foundation with my hands, so I would recommend  using a dense sponge applicator. 

It held up well during the day, lasting through my cycle to college - I sometimes have to re-apply my powder if not touch up with foundation in the 'T-Zone' especially, when I get to the college. It was also practically weightless which is relieving. 

Overall it was a good investment. I wouldn't use it everyday as it would run our fairly quick, (the tubes aren't so big). But it's definitely worth buying if you don't wear foundation everyday, or if you like a really light, textured foundation. 

It's available in most drugstores/department stores/larger supermarkets, (e.g., debenhams, boots, tesco or if you're in the US, to my knowledge, walmart stock it also). 

Or if you prefer looking online you can find it at Ulta.com, Boots.com or eBay.com!

That's al for now! Thanks for reading, and come back soon for my EcoTools Make-Up Brushes review.

Ta-ta for now!

And now for something a little different..

Time now to stray away from Hallowe'en and go back to reality - some charming little pieces from the internet! 

I give you the "double liner".

I've seen so many people sporting this look in the last couple of months, its awesome, I love it! Especially because it requires so little effort, and materials! 

Another look I adore is this black/gold smokey eye look. It's less harsh than an all black smokey eye and would look amazing on any eye colour.

Pair this look with one of those 'half up' hairdos and you've got yourself one very  sexy evening look.

Sticking with some gorgeous looks for your eyes here's a beautiful gold/copper shadow, with a thick jet black line over the top lashes. 

With this look, you can tone it down for a daytime look by using a matte, copper/gold colour instead of the intense metallic one. 

My personal favourites for these colours are:

Bourjois' 71 Or Rafinné

&

NYX Dark Brown

As with any statement eye look, I find it's always better to go for a nude lip colour. This gives one focus point on your face, and is much more of a statement than two, which can look messy. Be careful though, that you don't just plaster your lips with your foundation, giving you a 'no face' look. It's better to find a good quality lipstick in a peachy shade close to your natural skin colour and a very light lip gloss to go over it. 

 Here are my favourites:

NYC Pink Gold

&

No7 Liplicious in Pink

All of these are beautiful but there's always something else you can add to it to make it even more fabulous.
I'm talking  hair. Whether it's BIG hair you're looking for or something simple and classy, you'll always find something to suit you.

Here's the 'half up' 'do I mentioned in the second paragraph:
All that's required is a little patience and time! (and a tutorial if you really want it, found here!)

Update!

Hey little kitties! 

As I'm updating the blog all the time I thought I'd add a Review Section where you can suggest stuff for me to review and where I can review things that I've come across in the real world. To start off if you are going to suggest things just be aware that I'm not residing in the USA, so somethings we might not have in Ireland, but I will try my best to find something as close as possible to it! As time goes on we can get more and more creative and versatile.

Leave suggestions in the comments section below.

Can't wait to hear from you guys!

Ta-ta for now.

October tricks and treats!

Nails and Make-up...

Adorable little spider web nails. Very simple, but still very cute and hallowe'eny! 











Here is a little step-by-step pic of some skull nails that only require 2 colours! 

Another easy nail look! This can also be done with a glow in the dark nail polish over the white base coat for an extra spooky effect!







Glow in the dark nail polish is available from eBay, and from Claire's.

      

But enough of the nails, if you're looking for a more subtle, sexy but still spoookey make-up look for hallowe'en look no further! 



I love this look personally. It's so easy and basic, but the little diamantes add a touch of class to the whole look. 
It also gives the option to glam it up even more if you want, by adding some dark purple, or red eyeshadow. 

If you really want something freakish, here's the perfect thing for you! It still has the element of simplicity but it also has pizazz!




Maybe some of these have given you an idea for hallowe'en, or maybe they've been inspiration for your own spooky nail design! Whatever the case I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried them, or has found even more cute hallowe'en looks, in the comment section!

Thanks for coming and I hope to see you for the next instalment!

Ta-ta for now! 

Hello my little kitties

Well hello there, glad you could make it! 

Welcome to The Pretentious Kitten, a place where you and I can allow our thoughts to run free! By that I mean, I'll be posting bits and bobs from around the web - predominatnly a fashion thing, with quirkies and cuties from all over the place. I won't be going mad and I'll try to post prices of all the goodies and where they are available as well. 

My goal is to give you somewhere you can find little gems that are made for you and me.

We'll take things one step at a time and hopefully it'll bring us somewhere fabulous. Don't expect too much at the beginning ;) We will have to see how we go and depending on views, etc., I'll be able to up the anty a bit.

Updates will take place as often as possible! 

I hope you  come back soon (: 

Ta-ta for now.