Sleek Highlight Palette

I wanted to talk today about the Sleek Highlight Palette I finally got my hands on!

This baby was only £10 and includes some great product in gorgeous packaging. The warm mirrored gold packaging makes this palette look way higher end than it's price - and that's exactly what I want whenever buying products!

I got this a few weeks ago but have been trying it out before posting so I could really let you know what I thought of it and how I find it best to wear/use.

The colours in this palette are quite different yet all shades I would wear and that's great. I love having a choice. This palette is actually quite small it would fit nicely in my hand and this makes it a great thing to throw into a makeup bag or handbag. With the selection of shades and size it's so travel friendly and perfect for people on the go!

The palette has a small mirror inside the lid, a small brush to apply the product and 4 shades. This includes 1 cream highlight shade and 3 powder shades. Perfect for all looks.

I really love the shades in this palette and they are all very buttery and surprisingly pigmented. I love quite a bright highlight and this palette holds its own against some of my higher end favourites!

The cream shade is called Ecliptic and is the top left shade in the palette. Its a metallic pink champagne shade which is extremely pigmented as shown above. This was the first shade I swatched and I was so impressed. I love a cream highlight when I'm wearing a minimal makeup look and want a natural glow and this keeps my skin looking bright and dewy. 

The top right shade is called Hemisphere and is a light metallic pink. When in the light this gives off a cooler highlight colour and I think this would be perfect for paler skin if you want to find something with a pop of colour that isn't to warm for you. This colour is also the perfect brow bone and inner corner eye highlight. This palette is so multi-purposeful as well - definitely worth the small price tag!

The bottom left shade is called Subsolar. This is a light champagne/gold highlight. It's on the cooler side of gold highlights and is so gorgeous! This shade again can be used for the eyes and face and is similar to my MUA highlight which is an iridescent gold shade. I also think this is kind of similar to the Becca Moonstone highlight.

The bottom left shade is Equinox. It is a warm gold shade and is gorgeous. I love wearing this shade on nights out or when I have a tan. It makes me look so dewy and glowing. It's beautiful!

Here are swatches of the colours. The first picture has a flash and the second has no flash and both have no filter. (Left to Right: Ecliptic, Subsolar, Hemisphere, Equinox)

Again I can't talk highly enough of this palette and I really do encourage you to go out and spend the money on this. I really can't stress how practical the size of this palette is and the packaging is to die for! 

So if you're looking to buy this palette you can find it HERE on the Sleek website and I know Boots, Superdrug and other smaller drugstores have sleek instore for you to check out! Let me know if you have this and what you think or if you're going to get it? :)

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(◍•ᴗ•◍) - ♡

xo

M.

November Favourites.. Blogmas day five!

Hi guys, 

today I thought I'd let you in on all my favourites from November as it's creeping further and further into December!

I'll group these into 3 categories;

1. Make up/beauty
2. Clothes & accessories
3. Misc favourites!

Onto category one..

My first and biggest favourite throughout November has been Ari by Ariana Grande. I just love Ariana. Her style, her music and just her. (We definitely needed more Ariana in Scream Queens, just saying.)
When I heard she was releasing a scent I knew I had to smell it and omg it didn't disappoint! It's a very sweet smelling perfume with, I think, marshmallow being a very prominent scent. If you think maybe that's not for me definitely just give this scent a smell. If I had to bottle myself into a scent I would say it was this and I don't see myself wearing any other perfume for a long time. I also need to mention the packaging. It came is a beautiful pastel coloured box with photos of Ariana on the sides in black and white. I still have the box displayed in my room because it's so gorgeous! The bottle itself is the most beautiful shape but the best part for me is the faux fur ball keyring on the neck of the bottle to replicate spray atomisers! It really looks amazing and when I wear the scent I get lots of compliments and when people see the bottle they are always asking what I use!

I'm also pretty obsessed with two winter lipsticks! Twig from Mac was always my go to daily lipstick (and still kinda is). But, I've been trying to mix it up slightly for winter and now my hair is dark I've been rocking Beguiled from Topshop and Stone from Mac. Beguiled is a colour I've been wearing for over a year but it's a nice rich darker red lipstick. Stone is a brown coloured lipstick which on my skin tone has a very slight grey tone to it and I love it for this time of year but sometimes I do find it hard to wear!

On to my nails! A nail favourite is definitely Ethereal nail polish from Accessorise. It's the most beautiful sheer iridescent shade and is amazing over a pale pastel shade for winter. I had been wearing it as a top coat over a pale pink and it was gorgeous and left my nails an amazing frosty pink shade.
As usual, Primark nails have become a staple in my winter wardrobe (and every other season). The newer designs are so cool with different glitter shades, pastels and longer 'claw' nails being released! I'm in love and stock up on multiple pairs everytime I am in a Primark!
I recently got a set of nails which were cloud print and they may be some of my favourites ever. The colours are lovely and they make a great change to the usual one colour nails!

In clothing/accessories..

My next favourite is knee high/thigh high boots. I have recently purchased over the knee black flat boots but I also have high heeled versions which I got on Public Desire last year. They're basically everywhere now but I can't talk highly enough of them as they are super cosy and comfortable and now I can wear my flats most of the time and switch to a heeled pair for a night out - perfect!! I rock mine during the day with a nice jumper dress, scarf & coat and they look super cosy and make it look like I definitely made an effort! For a night time look I pair my heeled version with a mini-dress or skirt and top. They're perfect for covering up a little more without wearing tights!

Onto my misc favourites..

My November favourite for candles is Candy Cane Lane. I think it's a perfect November scent as it's got that distinct Christmas mint smell but isn't too over bearing for anyone who isn't in the Christmas spirit before December.. Time to get Home Sweet Home burning soon I think!



A purchase I made in November which has taken up quite a lot of my time is an adult colouring book! This is great for clearing your head or just something to mindlessly do to pass time. I highly recommend!

My last favourites are entertainment based. They are one tv show, 2 anime's and 2 artists to check out!

Tv Show: Scream Queens. This show. I watched it firstly and wasn't fussed and now I'm hooked. It's so bad it's great! Ariana being in it doesn't hurt either but the cast is great and it's just an easy watch if you've a spare 40 mins!

Anime: I recently got the premium Crunchy Roll. (Where was this all my life?) It's so much better and I can read manga from my Phone etc so easily now! I'm currently finishing Watamote. This is the perfect show for an outsider because I think you'll relate too. It's a good show but not one of my favourites. 
My second fav was a show I always meant to watch and never did until last month. It's Anohana. I've seen so many people talk about this so I finally watched it. It's so emotional and all I'll say is that I cried like a baby at the end. It's definitely worth a watch!

Music: My favourite kinda music is singer/songwriter with an electronic heart. Therefore it's no surprise LIGHTS & Porter Robinson are among my fav artists ever. But recently I haven't stopped listening to Purity Ring's most recent stuff which is amazing and Grimes new album which is insanely good!

So there it is. My Nov favs..
What is your favourites last month or just ever? Let me know so I can check some of it out or if you've any recommendations for me please post them!

(◍•ᴗ•◍) - ♡

xo

M.

Winter Essentials.. Blogmas Day One!

Hi guys!

As we’re entering into the colder time of the year I finally feel like it’s winter, it’s time to say goodbye to autumn (and I’ve the christmas feelin’).. With it only to get colder soon. So, here’s a little peek into my winter needs including everything from shoes, clothes, accessories, beauty items and even a few lifestyle needs for this chilly season!

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I’m hugely into dark reds, purple and camel this year. I’ve also been into my usual winter staples like dark denim and monochrome being a huge presence. (Usually an all year round thing though, can’t shake that black from my wardrobe!)

I’ll start firstly with my outfit (clothing) staples for this time of year..

I’m a huge black boot advocate, it sounds extreme but it’s true, the majority of my shoe collection is different types of black boots and I’m not complaining they’re all amazing. I can’t resist a pair when I see them. Especially for this time of year I love a good knee high or over the knee pair of boots. I have mine in black (duh!) but they are amazing in a variety of colours from red, camel, grey, brown and khaki green! They are extremely versatile and I can wear them with a number of outfits. I’ve rocked them on nights out with a nice above the knee dress, which is my favourite way to wear them as mine have a substantial heel. They can be worn with an oversized jumper for a day look and look amazing paired with a dress during the day and tights if you’re feeling like covering up a little more. They also look great with a jean or legging and an oversized jumper for a great effortlessly dressed well look. (These are my favourite kind, if I can put in as little effort as possible but still look like I tried to look good is perfect for me!)

Here is a photo of mine as I’ll be uploading an ootd very soon including these beauties ♡

I got mine from public desire and I’ll link them here (they also do student discount as many other sites mentioned do), but these boots are now scattered around a lot of online stores such as la moda, boohoo, missguided, new look (who do a wide fit version!) and more.

My next winter staple is something people have been rocking for some time but only recently have I purchased my own after lusting after them online. It’s a fur gillet! I know these aren’t the hardest item to wear but it took me a long time to find a decent one within my budget (many decent ones I seen were nearer the £100 mark!!!) that didn’t add on too much to myself and was flattering to wear. What surprised me was that I found this in Primark! I got this cream/beige fur gillet for £18 and it was an absolute steal. The flatness of the fur suits my shape well and as I am quite tall (around 5’9) this length was perfect! They were also instore in brown but it didn’t suit me as much. I’ve an ootd with this item included which I will post very soon for you guys so keep your eyes posted so you can see how lovely this looks on! As Primark haven’t got a website I’ve looked up similar plus sized gillets available online for you here – New Look Inspire Faux Fur Gilet (In black and stone/cream), ASOS CURVE Longline Faux Fur Gilet in Natural, ASOS CURVE Faux Fur Gilet (black). 

A great winter coat is always a necessity. I seen a great camel coat from Warehouse last year, lusted over it and never bought it then regretted it. Luckily for me it reappeared for the summer sale and I bagged it there and then to keep for winter. I stored it away and it’s finally time for me to bring it out of storage. This coat is the perfect shape for me as I love a swing coat! The colour is so gorgeous and the fabric. Paired with my scarf and a basic outfit this coat is amazing and I can’t praise it enough! I also like to change my coats very often so I have a part of my wardrobe dedicated to coats and jackets as I really just have way too many. Definitely more than any girls needs but I’m not complaining. Coats are my thing. And shoes.. And make up.. I tend to wear a jacket I got during the summer from Topshop a lot also and a coat that was a steal from Primark. (again!) I have many others that I’m sure you’ll see cropping up in ootd’s very soon! I have been really enjoying some of the coats ASOS also has to offer recently as they look amazing! This New Look Inspire Tailored Coat is pretty similar to my Warehouse jacket. ThisTopshop Longline Slouchy Coat is a coat version of my jacket and would also look really cool paired with a fur collar!

Onto my winter accessories..

I’m a big fan of a scarf during winter especially with these colder times approaching. My go to is ALWAYS a tartan scarf and has been for a few years. I generally go for a red based tartan but I also love a green/blue tartan. My scarf of choice is a H! By Henry Holland scarf I picked up about 2 years ago in Debenhams! It’s a great scarf and I continually reach for it with nearly every outfit I wear! Here is a tartan scarf by this brand available this year. I’m not as fond of it but I looked around and found a few similar scarves which I think are amazing. This Red Check Skinny Scarf from New Look is pretty similar to mine. There are an abundance of these kind of scarves online New Look have them in a variety of colours and Missguided. Another type to mention is fur collars or fur scarfs. There are amazing and can really change a coat to make it look completely different! Missguided have an amazing range of these here. Some of my favourites are the faux fur wrap in green, faux fur wrap in purple, faux fur wrap in black, faux fur stripe scarf and the faux fur patchwork scarf. These all look amazing and are great to wear with a basic outfit or with a plain coat to make it look more interesting and expensive! These are also great for revamping an old winter coat instead of being out of pocket for a new one. I’d definitely recommend!

As common as these may be tights are a BIG winter staple for me. I never feel as comfortable in jeans as I do in a comfy dress or skirt during the winter so my choice in tights is super important. I usually buy my tights from Primark and I go for the Super Cosy Tights to keep warm in the winter evenings. Now I understand tights can be a tricky thing whenever you’re plus size as you don’t want your legs to feel like they’re stuffed into your tights or have them constantly fall down with every step you take or move you make. (trying not to sing along..) I can highly recommend these ASOS CURVE 200 Denier Tights as they are comfy and cosy and come in 200 denier to keep you toasty! They also have tights from 15 denier up and funky designed tights for the more adventurous!

Onto the beauty products I always need this time of year..

As a usual trend for this time of year I like to change my lip and eye products. I tend to go for darker colours. I a big fan of a dark red lip or a blue-toned red lip for winter as it’s what suits me best. I love pairing this with a matte nude/brown eyeshadow, black cat eye, eyebrows (on fleek), and a nice warm contour & highlight! This is my usual everyday make up for this time of year. I’ll do a winter make up post soon and talk about all my favourite products, how I apply them and my final look! My favourite lip products for this are Topshop Lips in Beguiled (It’s a lot more red than swatched on the site) I’ve even finished this and repurchased it I love it so much, Bourjois Rouge Velvet Lipstick in Grand Cru and Mac Lipstick in Sin.

During the cold weather I tend to fall victim to sore and hacked lips. I love to wear matte lipsticks especially when wearing red to minimise it transferring all over my face! To keep my lips in good condition I use a lip balm through out the day when I’ve no lipstick on and before I start my make up and after I remove my make up! Before starting my make up I moisturise my face, letting that sink into my skin I start to prep my lips. My lip products I use to do this are Lush Lip Scrub in Mint Julips (Only flavour I like) and then an EOS Balm either in Sweet Mint or Vanilla Mint. I scrub my lips with the scrub to remove and dry skin and I then put on my eos balm to sink in. Once I’ve completed my full face of make up I do my lips last. They’re then prepared and ready for a matte lip product (or any) to be applied and my lips look full and moisturised all day! I promise this small step really makes the difference during this time.

Another cosy winter necessity is candles ♡♡♡..

I’m obsessed with candles. I love how a room/space can just become so cosy once you light a candle and the Yankee Candle scents are amazing. I love a sweet candle which I know isn’t to everyones taste but I thought I’d include some of my favourites in the master post because is it really winter and cosy times if I don’t?

I like to start burning festive candles around November/December. To stop myself from getting too festive too early this year I started to burn Candy Cane Lane at the start of November. It’s a sweet minty smell (just like a candy cane, duh) but it’s perfect for not getting too festive. During the festive period some of my favourites are Snowflake Cookie,Christmas Cookie, Fireside Treats ♡ and Home Sweet Home!

Christmas Eve and a well loved Candy Cane Lane. 

I thought I’d also add some winter entertainment to my master post to help you get to know me better..

Festive films I’d definitely recommend are HOME ALONE (one of my fav movies ever!!) and Elf. Music wise, my ‘Winter Jam’ for years (like 5) has been My Boots – LIGHTS. She’s one of my fav artists and once I start to remotely feel wintery this song goes on repeat, and I love a good pair of boots. Perfect! (I just had to turn it on while finishing this post *dances while typing*)

If there’s anything else you guys wanna see or ask my opinion on, let me know!

M xo

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