Recent Loves!

I swear I'm going to spend all of my money on LUSH products one day! My most recent purchase from Lush is the 'Dark Angels' exfoliating cleansing mask. Gosh, this is just amazing. I was really hating on my skin as I kept on breaking out but 'Dark Angels' really has been a god send. I use this day and night and my skin looks so much better. I recommend this to everyone especially if your skin needs some life put back into it, haha. I also bought a cute little moon choker from Primark in a set, it's cute isn't it?

If you have read this blog before, you will probably know that me and Leah are obsessed with buying lipsticks, especially MAC ones. This one is called 'Studded Kiss'. This shade reminds me of Diva but I actually love 'Studded Kiss' so much better. This is a matte lipstick and it stays put for hours! It also looks amazing paired with my new Max Factor polish.

I love the ogx hair products! I have alot of their products and I love this anti-breakage kertin oil spray. It's amazing and it also smells just as good. It isn't at all heavy on my hair and it doesn't make my hair greasy at all.

What are your favourite products right now? Would you give any of these products a go? 

x x x

MAC Dupe Alert | Max Factor Lipfinity Long Lasting Lipstick in Eternally Luscious

I officially cannot stop buying lipsticks! Boots had a 3 for 2 offer on all of Max Factor products and when I saw the new lipfinity lipsticks, I couldn't resist! I thought I'd treat myself to a lipstick that is quite different to any other shade I own and it's called 'Eternally Luscious'. I think this is a beautiful colour and it really is identical to MAC's 'Heroine' lipstick. I don't own 'Heroine' but I've always had my eye on that lipstick but 'Eternally Luscious' is the exact same colour.

I think the packaging to the lipfinity lipsticks is really classy. It looks great in my makeup bag! This lipstick is feels absolutely amazing and doesn't dry my lips out in the slightest. I'd say this lipstick actually feels more like a balm. The colour is so pigmented and vibrant too which I love. I think you get 2 hours out of this lipstick before reapplying which isn't bad. Overall, I think this is a great product and the perfect dupe for 'Heroine' lipstick. This lipstick is £9 which is better than spending £15 on a MAC lipstick which is basically the same colour. The colour is pigmented and last quite a long time but it does wear off faster than most of my other lipsticks. This lipfinity range is definitely one for you if your lips are in need of some TLC!

Have you seen the new Max Factor Lipfinity range? Would you give Eternally Luscious a try?

x x x

MAC Cyber Lipstick

Guess how long I've been meaning to write this post? I've had this in my blogging draft since January! Wow, already seeems like a life time ago.

It might be Summer now but I'm still wearing my deathly dark lipstick colours - somethings never change. Cyber has got to be one of my favourite lipsticks from MAC. I do admit that I don't wear this shade as much as I would like to but it will always going to be a staple in my collection! Cyber is a very dark shade of purple. It almost looks black in some lights! Still, it's a gorgeous shade of purple. But I absolutely love it. I just love vampy colours so If you do too, Cyber should be in your lipstick stash! Most people would enjoy wearing this type of lipstick colour on Halloween but I think every day should be a dark lipstick day, haha.

Cyber is in a satin finish, my absolutely favourite finish from MAC. What's your favourite lipstick?

Leah, x

OOTD & Wait & Braid | Galaxy Tie Dye Dress and 90s/Grungy Side Pony

What I'm Wearing: DRESS, Urban Outfitters | DENIM JACKET, ASOS | BEST BITCHES BEST FRIENDS NECKLACE, Shop Moon Child | LIPSTICK, MAC Diva.

Is anyone else obsessed with the 90's style? because I know I am! Recently, I have been trying out more hairstyles and I had to look for some inspiration. Youtube is always amazing for hair tutorials and I found some really gorgeous and unique 90's hair styles. Some of them are classic 90's (think little cute buns and half up-half down hairstyles) but other hair styles are a little more modern. This hairstyle that I'm wearing in this post is the perfect balance of mordern and 90's. It's an easy but impressive side pony! Because it's not just a side pony, I've done two little plaits in the pony tail. I think the braids really thicken the ponytail up and it looks so grungy and messy. This hair style that is definitely going to become a favourite. Look how cute it is too!

I think this dress is nineties too. It's velvet and tye dye. I'm wearing my all time favourite jacket too. Denim jackets are always a winner! I literally haven't been able to take this jacket off since buying it!

Do you love the 90's style?

Rachel, x

MAC Viva Glam VI & Verve Lipstick | Review & Swatches.

Whenever I find myself walking past a MAC shop, I need to go inside. What girl can resist MAC makeup? Especially when you want to treat yourself. So, I thought why not? I'm obsessed with lipsticks and I have so many dark shades (Diva is my favourite) so I decided I could do with a nude shade. Well, a kind of nude shade. I didn't want too much of a nude shade because I think they look awful on me but I knew trusty old MAC would have the right lipstick in there for me. Both Rachel and I decided to choose a lipstick each because again, why the Hell not?! Life is for living and living is buying as many lipsticks as possible, right?!

First up, we have one of MAC's Viva Glam lipsticks. I've never actually owned a Viva Glam before and I really love the slight twist on the iconic packaging. Doesn't the red look so nice on the lipstick case? Viva Glam VI is described on the MAC website as a ''terracota-plum with pearl''. The liptick is in a lustre finish. To be honest, lustre finishes just do not stay on long. Viva Glam VI is unfortunately a huge disappointment. It has absolutely NO staying power and it isn't pigmented at all. I bought this shade because I thought the colour was so beautiful and it sure is beautiful at first. But then it rubs off like two minutes later. I do think many girls would like this lipstick but for a bold-loving lipstick lover like me Viva Glam IV sadly just doesn't do it for me. It's got to be my least favourite MAC lipstick to date. I might have to go and buy ''Dark Side'' lipstick to cheer me up! I'll probably be giving Viva VI to my mum as she'll love this lipstick.

After being left unimpressed with Viva Glam IV, I was blown away by Verve. Oh my God. It's everything I've been looking for in a 'nude' lipstick. Okay, some of you might not think this is a nude shade but for me it is because I'm usually wearing reds. Verve has made it into my top lipsticks as it ticks every single box. It's in a Satin finish and is extremely comfortable to wear and stays put for absolute hours. It is so pigmented too!  I love the dark, nude shade and I think it suits me quite nicely. I also really love the fact it hasn't got any pink in the colour. I was weary of getting a lighter shade of lipstick in case I didn't like it but Verve is honesly amazing and I wouldn't change anything about it! MAC describes the shade as a ''muted brownish-plum''. It's such a 90's shade. Being a girl that love dark shades, Verve has definitely made a lasting impression on me. I find myself reaching for this lipstick all the time - especially when I want to do darker eye makeup.

I think you can guess that Verve has completely won both me and Rachel over. Viva Glam VI - not so much.

What's your favourite MAC purchase? Have you ever bought something you didn't like from MAC?

Leah and Rachel, x

MAC Cranberry Eyeshadow Pot Review and Swatches.

MAC is renouned for it's amazing lipsticks but today I wanted to share a little love with their incredible eyeshadows! The one I'm talking about in particular is the eyeshadow pot in the shade Cranberry. It's not your usual colour and caught my eye immediately. It's an absolutely stunning reddish, pinky purple shade. The MAC website describes Cranberry as ''red plum with pink shimmer''. I've never really experimented much with eyeshadows colours and usually stick with browns so I thought I'd get Cranberry for my eighteenth birthday to add in my collection.

Packaged in MAC's famous little black pot, it is small and easy to keep in your make up bag. The finish of this is frost so when you apply this eyeshadow it looks shimmery on your eye lid. It's not over the top at all and just adds to the overall beauty of the shade. I absolutely love this eyeshadow. It's everything I wanted and more! I was worried in case I wouldn't be able to pull off such a bold colour but Cranberry is now a firm favourite. It's so much more wearable than what I thought it was going to be.

The MAC eyeshadows blend beautifully and apply evenly. They are so pigmented too and don't fade or crease through out the day. Cranberry is definitely the most vibrant shade I have. I think the red/pink colour with suit all eye colours and make your eyes 'pop'! If you want an eyeshadow that makes an impact, this is for you!

Cranberry might look a little scary in the pot with it being such an unusual colour but on the eyes it's everything you want in an eyeshadow! I don't think I've saw any other brand do a shade as beautiful as this little pink/red number! I love wearing Cranberry with brown shades and  a little bit of highlighter in the inner corner of my eye. It creates such a nice smokey eye with a twist.

At £13, it may be expensive but a little certainly goes a long way! Will you be buying Cranberry?

Leah, x

February Favourites!

February is nearly over so it's that time again where we do a post dedicated to all the things (mainly makeup) that we've been loving this month! February has been a great month because we celebrated our 18th birthday and you can see the full post here. We also went to our first drum lesson which was great because we're both learing another instrument but it's also helping us overcome our social anxiety. We've also been loving the band Incubus - so amazing. Anyway, on to the February beauty favourites!

I think this is my favourite lipstick ever. I never thought I'd say that I ever had a favourite lipstick but I think MAC's Media is the one. Media is a satin finish and it doesn't in the slightest dry my lips. I also think it stays on for hours which I find with all MAC lipsticks except the lustre ones. Media is the perfect colour for me as it's a gorgeous deep, red wine colour.

We've also been loving Benefit's Fake Up which we got for our birthday. Fake Up is a hydrating crease control concealer for underneath the eyes and I didn't have high expectations as I've never heard of Fake Up before I went on the website. We got it in the lightest shade and it is the perfect colour for us. Fake Up smoothes out thin lines and the finish makes my skin feel so silky!

Next up is the new L'Oreal Paris Infallible matte foundation. We are both massive fans for the orginal Infallible foundation but it done nothing for our oily skin so we obviously had to get our hands on the matte version! We also got this foundation in the lightest colour and it's perfect. The coverage is also amazing but I still need to use concealer if I wanted maximum coverage. This is so easy to apply and it doesn't look cakey at all. My skin doesn't get half as oily as it used too but I still need use some powder through out the day. I love this concealer and I'll definitely get the Infallible matte primer when I run out of Porefessional.

I also treated myself to this Pandora ring with my birthday money. This ring was £80 and I fell in love with it the minute I saw it. It sparkles so much when the light hits it and is the perfect accessorie for every outfit. This ring is my new favourite and I'll know I'll have it forever. 

That was our favourites for this month. As you can see, we've been loving a lot of makeup recently. I literally can't even remember when I last bought a piece of clothing! 

What are your favourites for February?

Love Rachel & Leah, x

January 2015 Favourites!

The first month of 2015 is over and in my mind a new year always calls for new makeup. I've practically spent all of my Christmas money on makeup over this past month. If you read Beyond The Velvet, you will know how obsessed we've both been with MAC makeup and Benefit skincare so this post contains a lot of Benefit and MAC ;)

Makeup Favourites 

Makeup Revolution Ultra Flawless Eyeshadows - The blogging world is full of reviews on Makeup Revolution products and I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of their products. This is the Ultra eyeshadow palette and I couldn't be happier with it. This palette only cost £8 and it includes 32 pigmented eyeshadows. The shades are stunning and you can create so many eye makeup looks with this beautiful palette. I  don't think I could find a palette better than this one. Watch out for a full review on this palette soon!

 Benefit World Favourite Neutrals Kit - I won't ramble on about this kit too much as we've already wrote a review on it here. I have mixed reviews on this kit but saying that the cream eyeshadows are just amazing. The powder shadows could be more pigmented but when they are built up they look amazing. The kit also comes with cute little 'how to' cards for the perfect day and night looks.

MAC Lipsticks - I've discovered MAC lipsticks and my purse isn't happy. So far I've got seven in my collection and I'm feeling the urge to buy more. You really can't beat MAC when it comes to lipstick can you? You can see our review on these four shades here!

Favourite Skincare

St. Ives Apricot Scrub - I have oily skin and this is a great product to use as it's for blemish prone skin. This scrub smells amazing and it isn't harsh at all so it is great for sensitive skin too.

Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash - I'm currently in love with Benefit skin care. I've never used any Benefit before so I bought the mini kit before I splashed out on the full sized products. The facial wash was on of my favourites in the mini kit and I just had to buy it. I use this everyday and it doesn't upset my skin in the slightest. It also doesn't leave my skin with that tight feeling either. I've definitely noticed a difference with my complexion since using this. I can see myself buying this again once it runs out.

St. Ives Microdermabrasion Scrub - I bought this to smooth out my skin as I am still left with acne scars after suffering with acne two years ago. This is a great scrub and it isn't harsh at all unlike the Botanics microdermabrasion scrub. I use this most days and it really is helping my skin smooth out.
  
Other Favourites This Month

YSL Black Opium Perfume - I've already done a review on this lovely perfume (see it here). My sister got us this after her holiday and it was a great suprise. The bottle is stunning and it looks great in my collection. The perfume itself is perfect for any floral/vanilla scent lover like us!

 Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish in 'Mad Women' - This is a great polish and the colour is just stunning! This polish has a gel finish and I am yet to buy the top coat that gives the polish a gel like shine. Sally Hansen do amazing polishes and this one is no different.

That's are favourites for January 2015! What have been your favourites for the past month? 

Love Rachel & Leah, xx

Things That Have Made Me Happy | January 2015 Highlights

Winter walks | MAC lipsticks (I know I'm obsessed, lol) | My new ring for my Birthday! | Our precious little Heidi | Benefit skincare is the best skincare! | More fashion finds | Blurry picture but this was us before Slipknot & Korn :) 

January has had it's highs and lows but I've had a great month and that is because I saw Slipknot and Korn on the 22nd of January! I've went on and on about this but it was obviously the best night of both of our lives. I still can't believe I saw my two favourite bands ever!

I'm still obsessed with MAC and I think I've got seven lipsticks in my collection but I know I'll get more soon as this obsession is growing stronger every time I go into MAC. I also love Benefit skincare. I've suffered with acne in the past so I always love it when I find skincare products that work of me.

Look at my birthday ring too! It's so stunning and I can't believe it's mine. January has also been a good month for fashion and I recently discovered Urban Outfitters so I have no money at all. Why is everything so expensive?!

☾ Life: We suffer with depression and anxiety and it's been pretty bad recently :( I won't ramble about this as it is quite depressing but I hope things will get better soon. I'm turning 18 next Saturday so at least that's something to look forward to. I'm also thinking about getting a tattoo but I have no idea what to get!

☾ Music: It's been a great month for music. I've been obsessed with Korn and Slipknot but I love listening to Marilyn Manson too. He is amazing, haha. My favourite song by Marilyn Manson is probably 'Tourniquet' Oh my God, I'm constantly singing it!

☾ Watching: I don't watch much tv but I love watching Stalked. I can't believe it's not going to come back on until March but I can't wait for when The Following starts again! 

☾ Reading: I just love reading amazing story books. I got the 'Angel' series for Christmas and I've been obsessed. I've finished all of the books now and I just feel lost not reading them!

How has your January been?

Love Rachel and Leah, x

Things That Have Made Me Happy This Week

MAC Cyber Lipstick | The best boots that have ever existed | Benefit's easiest nudes ever kit | Slipknot ticket! | Slipknot selfies haha :)

We started off the week with buying a Benefit eyeshadow kit which we love. The kit is perfect for a neutral eyeshadow lovers and you can see our review on it here. We've also continued our obsession with boots by buying these beauties in the River Island sale. They're honestly the best boots I've ever seen and they've even got fur inside them!

I've had my eye on Cyber lipstick from MAC for ages now and I finally got it! It's a really dark purple lipstick and we both wore it to the Slipknot concert on Thursday.
Thursday was honestly the best night of our lives. We saw two of our favourite bands; Slipknot AND Korn. Korn were SO amazing and I still can't believe I saw them. It all feels like a dream :') By the time Slipknot came on my voice was already going with all the screaming to Korn, haha! Slipknot were amazing and we're definitely going to see them next time they come. Time just went so fast and we left the arena in a daze. Now I'm just sitting here and wondering if it ever happened at all. I just had the best time of my life. Slipknot and Korn are magical.

How has your week been? :)

Love Rachel and Leah, x

Mini MAC Haul | Swatches & Review

A new year always calls for new makeup, right?! MAC is a lipstick lovers heaven and we treated ourselves to four new MAC lipsticks and the shades we bought are 'Dubonnet, Spice it up!, Spirit and Diva'.

DUBONNET

I haven't actually heard of this MAC lipstick before - is it popular? Because if not, it definately should be! Debonnet in my eyes is the most perfect red. It's a much darker red than say Mac's Ruby Woo. This lipstick is what I'd describe as a deep blood red with a slight brick/brown tinge to it - Oh my God, it's perfect. The finish is amplified - the first amplified lipstick I've ever owned and it's fair to say I absolutely love it. It hasn't got the staying power of a matte but it still stays on for a long time.  I'd definately get this one again!

SPICE IT UP!

Spice it Up! is the type of lipstick that really compliments my skin colour. The lipstick is a deep red in the bullet but applies to the lips in a sheer darkish red which I personally love. It's super glossy. I love the formula which is a Lustre - again, I've never owned a Lustre lipstick before but it's gorgeous and understated. Obviously, with this lipstick being more glossy it doesn't tend to last as long. It eventually fades to a redish pink stain that still looks lovely. MAC describe this shade as mulled brown berry.

SPIRIT

I've been loving all the reds and dark lipsticks recently but you can't really fault MAC when it comes to nude shades! I orginally wanted 'Verve' but it wasn't in stock so I picked out the beautiful 'Spirit'! It's described as a muted pinky-beige brown and it really is stunning. It suits all make up looks - especially dark eyes! The finish is Satin and lasts for absolutely hours without the need to reapply which is quite uncommon for nude lipsticks isn't it? The colour is also really easy to build up too so it looks more brown than a dark pink. I'm sure this lipstick is going to be a favourite.

DIVA

Diva, is there anything more to say about this lipstick? It's absolutely incredible! I can see why this is such a popular colour. The shade is described as an intense reddish-burgundy and I couldn't of described it better myself. It's matte so it stays of for hours. It's such a vampy colour. Honestly, this is like one of my dream lipsticks and I can't praise it enough. I think it will suit many skin tones and it's just the most eye catching lippy I own. It most definately the most beautiful 'winter' lipstick but I'm going to be wearing Diva all year round!

So, there are our MAC mini haul. It might of been expensive but nothing beats these lipsticks. They are really comfortable to wear and I actaully find myself really excited to put on my lipstick each day! Sad? I don't think so! We are quite the lipstick junkies.

Will you be adding these to your wishlists?

Leah and Rachel, x