TOPSHOP BLUSHER IN HEAD OVER HEELS - FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I'd eyed up Topshop blushers in the past but for some reason had never picked one up. However, the recent 5 Years of Topshop Beauty campaign definitely got me interested again, and one night when making a Topshop order I decided to put Head Over Heels in my basket, thinking there must be a reason why it is the most popular shade, and a few days later it arrived at my door.

First things first, the packaging is pretty great- sturdy white plastic with rose gold polka dots and a good sized mirror inside. My only complaints are that I worry it can get dirty easily and opening it can be a little tricky at time - but at least you know its not going to fly open and make a mess! In the pan the cream blusher looks like a really intense coral, which mighty have been why I shied from these blushers before, being  pale and not that interested in blush. However, when applied the colour comes out a bit sheerer (the below swatch features two layers and it still looks wearable) - but you can always tone it down with powder / blended in with your foundation brush if it turns out a little too bright. I've worn it a couple of times since I've got it, by dabbing some on and blending out with my fingers, and the result is lovely and Spring/Summer appropriate. It's early days but so far I think I'll get lots of use out of this in the warmer months!

60'S MAKE UP

There's nothing I love more than an excuse to dress up and experiment a little, so when my History class decided on a "dress up from a period of time we've covered" dress code for our meal (FYI, we're doing the 1951-2007 A2)and I found this fairly 60s-esque dress, I was pretty excited. 

I wanted a quite doll like high coverage base, so ended up dusting a little powder foundation over my normal medium coverage base and it was super perfecting - not something for every day but for a night out, yes. (although you can see one or two spots peeking through all the same, bad skin I hate you). I just lightly bronzed and highlighted and my lips were a simple dusky pink nude, so the focus was on the eyes...For the eyes I wanted to keep the 60s theme, but nothing too harsh - more subtle and natural. I first paid attention with my brows, making them a bit stronger than usual by using the sponge end of Maybelline Brow Satin on the front thicker bit of my brows - where mine can be particularly non existent - then going in with a pencil (Soap and Glory's Brow Archery) to define them further, particularly along the end as the sponge is a little too thick to do that with precision! I then used brow gel and moved on to the eyes, prepping them with a Maybelline colour tattoo (Pink Gold) then going in with a light shimmer (Urban Decay Naked 2 Bootycall) all over the lid (which I went in and made even lighter later with Naked's Virgin) I then put a matte grey into the crease and blended out, keeping adding more eyeshadow until I got the result I was happy with. I lined my top and bottom lashline with a black liner (liquid on top, pencil on bottom) then just added LOADS of mascara to finish off. Benefit Roller Lash everywhere because I love it, Maybelline Big Eyes mascara using the brush for bottom lashes to make sure I covered every lash, then just a little of Max Factor's Falsh Lash Effect to finish it all off. 

THE PRODUCTS

Benefit Porefessional (forgot to photgraph lol) 

Rimmel Lasting finish 25hour Nude foundation -100 Ivory

Revlon Colorstay concealer - 01 Fair

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer - 1 Fair

Rimmel Lasting finish 25hour powder foundation - 001 Light Porcelain

Bourjois Bronzing Powder - 51

No7 Instance Radiance higlighter

Maybelline Brow Satin - Dark Blond

Soap and Glory Brow Archery - Blondeshell

Rimmel Brow This Way - Clear

Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Pink Gold (no photo)

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Bootycall (over lid), Pistol (crease / outer corner)

Ruby Cosmetics smokey eyeshadow kit (no idea where I got this from!) - Grey shade (2nd darkest) (crease)

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin (middle of eye)

Maybelline Master Precise liquid eyeliner

Rimmel Exaggerate waterproof eye definer

Benefit Roller Lash mascara

Maybelline Big Eyes mascara

Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara

Max Factor lipstick - 615 Stardust Pink

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray