Essence XXXL Longlasting Lipgloss Review

So recently I went to a shopping centre I don't normally go to and discovered it had a Wilkos, which I don't have anywhere near me , so decided to go on a little Essence haul! (£45 on makeup of which pretty much nothing costs over £2...oops.) 

One of the first things I went for was the lip products as I am a lip product junkie obviously! I really enjoy the different types of lip creams that are popular at the moment so I though I would give these a try in the shades Velvet Rose and Silky Red.

These feel lovely on the lips, really soft and creamy and so moisturising, unlike other matte lip creams. The red is slightly more opaque than the pink and that's probably the only issue I have with them is the opacity. As you can see, I've applied them here without lipliner and they're quite sheer, so I would suggest a lipliner underneath. I pair the red with the Illamasqua lip pencil in Fiesty and the pink with the Rimmel Exaggerate lipliner in Eastend Snob and I find they go well together but obviously you can try anything you like.

The one thing I love about these lip creams (they're called a lip gloss...but they're not glossy...) and it makes them an absolute dream to apply, is first of all the applicator. When you take it out of the tube it looks like a normal doe-foot applicator but it has a little lip on it so it hugs your lips perfectly. Secondly, the taste and smell is the best of any lip product EVER. I know that's a bold statement, but all I need to convince you is three words. Costco. Birthday. Cake.

There's not a wide shade range of these, only 5 shades but there's definitely something in there for everyone.

Have you tried these? Do you have any other Essence recommendations?
N x 

MAC "Cyber" lipstick

So after saying "I'm not much of a MAC girl", my second ever make-up review here is a MAC one. Go figure. 

As soon as the weather drops below 10 degrees here in Glasgow I'm all about the dark lippy. This means I wear coral for a week in June, but we'll talk about that in June. After a quick review of my makeup stash I decided I wanted some new shades, more specifically something from MAC. I initally was going to go for "Rebel" but on seeing "Cyber" I totally fell in love. 

This is a really deep purple and I'd say it has no berry tones in it at all. It's described by MAC as "an intense blackish-purple" and straight after first application it definitely is, but as it wears through the day it shows more purple in tone. I think perhaps this may be down to the finish, which is Satin.

I love the formula of this lipstick but it definitely does not last well, even with a lipliner so reapplication is needed. I don't mind this but I know for some this is a downfall. Overall, it's a lovely colour and finish so I'm a happy camper. 

If MAC is out of your price range then there's a few alternatives I've found :

Collection Gothic Glam in Scorned

Revlon Super Lustrous in Va-Va Violet

Sleek True Colour in Mulberry

Are dark lipsticks your thing? What's your favourite colour for this winter?

N x

Black Milk "Pulp Horror" Collection

L-R What a Mess, Free Spirit and Wicked Web

I'm usually quite reasonable when it comes to new launches, I usually only buy one to try and then see if I want to spend more later, by which point something else has come along and has caught my attention.

However, there is nothing that can make me say "Shut up and take my money!" faster than a new Black Milk launch and their new Halloween "Pulp Horror" collection was no exception.

I normally only buy one piece from Black Milk at a time but as I found myself with a little extra cash I decided to indulge and I chose three, including two limited pieces.

The first piece I chose was the "What A Mess" reversible skater dress, which is a permanent part of the collection with a blood-splattered bathroom tile print. This dress can either be worn with a high neck and a low back, or vice versa. Personally I prefer to have my back covered but I like that I have the choice.

A close up of the Free Spirit print. How cute?!

The second item I chose was the "Free Spirit" reversible skater dress which was only on sale for 48hrs after the collection launched so I'm really pleased I managed to grab one! (Not like I sat waiting for the website to re-open on launch day or anything...) I absolutely love the cute ghost print on this and I definitely wouldn't save this as a "just for Halloween" dress. You can bet I'll definitely be pairing this up with a Christmas jumper come December! Well, Scrooge was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past after all!

The last thing I got was the "Wicked Web Silver Cheerleader Skirt" which was a limited edition item. This has a matching crop top but as you could not get me in a crop top if you paid me, I opted for the skirt on it's own. I was really pleasantly surprised with just how much material is in this skirt, it's so heavy! I wore it yesterday with just a plain t-shirt and some ankle boots and it was so comfortable and stretchy, a good going-out for dinner outfit!

The Wicked Web print up close. It's so intricate!

I was a little apprehensive at first about ordering from Australia but at the time, the exchange rate was excellent so everything was really reasonable and their clothing is such fab quality, I can't fault the price I paid. Secondly, I used the free shipping option and didn't even have to pay customs (I actually wouldn't have minded because of the free shipping!) The sizing is pretty spot on, I order a size XL as I'm a UK 18-20 and that's fine for me (the leggings tend to roll a little but that's just my figure) so i would say if you're a fan then definitely try some of their stuff out!

Do you have a Black Milk collection? What have you got in the past?