Elizabeth Arden Smokey Eyes Tutorial

It occured to me the other day that I have never actually done a make-up tutorial so I thought I would show you my favourite eye make-up style; my own version of a classic look, using the amazing Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Eyeshadow Quad.

In this pallette (from left to right):
- Sterling
- Sugar Cube
- Black Tie-Contour
- Graphite

 

 

Firstly, I applied concealer under my eyes using my middle finger; I've always prefered to apply concealer with my finger as opposed to using brushes because I believe it is much more accurate.

 

 

 

Then, I swept the Sugar Cube shade across my eyebrow bone to act as a highlighter - this really brightened up my eyes, which is needed considering it's such a 'dark' look. Then, I brushed the Sterling shade - which is light grey - all over my eye lid using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette.

 

 

I then began to darken the outer corners of my eyes using the Graphite shade, which is a lovely dark grey colour. Again, I did this using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette by brushing from the outer corner of my eyes and blending into the centre of my eyelid. Applying a darker shade to the outer corners of your eyes is probably the most vital part of achieving a smokey eyed look.

 

 

 

Then, using the darkest shade - Black-Tie Contour - which is a glistening off-black. I applied a small amount into my outer corners and into my creases. To complete the look, I brushed this shade along my water line, as opposed to using eyeliner.

 

 

 

Eyeshadow completed! I then applied a very thin line of black liquid eyeliner - I used Collection 2000 Liquid Eyeliner. If you wanted, you could also draw a flick too - but this isn't my strong point so I missed that part out. Finally, I applied a coat of my favourite mascara (Collection 2000 Extreme Mascara) to my top lashes only.

 

I've become a massive fan of Elizabeth Arden products after I recieved a goodie bag worth £77 for free! (Click here to read that blog post) This eyeshadow pallette was part of the gift, however I believe they don't usually sell these shades as a set of four but only in duos or as a single shade - however, I love them and seriously recommend them!

April Favourites

Here are all the products I have been loving this month!

 



 

Models Own 'Pukka Purple' nail polish

 

The Boots '3 for 2, mix & match' promotion got me again! This time I purchased 3 nail polishes for the price of 2 - and this one was my favourite. It is a a very daring, bright neon purple shade. I just instantly fell in love with the vibrant colour and I received lots of compliments too. Not only was the colour very pretty but the nail polish itself was really good quality and lasted a good few days without chipping as well as only requiring two coats.

 

 

Original Source Lemon & Tea Tree Shower Gel

 

I posted about this product in my 'What have I been buying?' post a few weeks ago and it's made it into my April favourites - possibly even all time favourites. I love fruity scents, particularly lemon - the smell, the taste - anything lemon, I love. I've read posts by other bloggers raving about Original Source shower gels so when I saw it, I just had to buy it. Nothing wakes you up like this zesty scent! It reminds me of lemon curd and can be purchased from most supermarkets and is an absolute bargain, usually retailing at just over £1! I refuse to shower without this now.

 

 

Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk Body Cream

 

I'm really bad at using body creams or body butters - I just don't use them enough because I don't like how most of them leave your skin feeling sticky and weird all day. In fact, the Rituals Body Cream is the only one I genuinely enjoy using. The consistency is thin and whipped rather than thick and bulky, so melts into your skin rather than sitting on top - (perfect!) The cherry blossom scent is incredible too; it's perfect for Spring and smells fresh and floral. Skin feels moisturised and smells amazing all day.

 

 

Glossybox Blusher

 

I received this blusher in the December Glossybox as a sixth item but have only just started to use it. I used to be shy of blushers but now I won't leave the house without wearing it. I love the shade and believe that it would probably look great on most skin tones. The product itself is long lasting and blends incredibly well - just what Id expect from Glossybox. They should make their own make-up range!

 

 

**APRIL GLOSSYBOX FAVOURITE**

 

 

Yves Rocher Vegetal 24h Comfort Nourishing Cream

 

My favourite product from this months Glossybox is the Yves Rocher Nourishing Cream. Im using it as a face cream every morning after cleansing. Skin feels super soft after using and remains this way yes - for 24 hours (as promised). Yves Rocher is such a popular, well-renowned brand so I definitely had high hopes. It gives my face a warm glow and is the best moisturiser I've ever used. I will be buying the full-sized product for sure.



March Favourites

So we are coming towards the end of March now and (hopefully) closer to Spring weather - it is still freezing here in sunny Britain! I've loved quite a few products this month but here are my favourites.

 

 

Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Lip Protectant

 

This lip protectant is absolutely perfect! I have always had an issue with getting chapped lips easily but this product has helped me so much. It is the 'lip version' of the very popular Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden, which moisturises your lips beautifully, leaving them soft for hours on end. I only find myself having to reapply this once during the day. This lip product is a million times better than most, average lip balms which moisturise your lips for a short while and after years of using cheap brands, you really see the difference when you start using this. It is expensive but it is worth every single penny - one of my proudest purchases ever!

 

 

Murad - Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture For Eyes

 

This eye cream is an essential during the cold weather. As well as my usual moisturiser, I am also applying this product daily too. Of course, the eye area is a lot more sensitive and gets damaged much more easily than other parts of the face so having a good quality eye cream is a must. It keeps the area around the eyes feeling soft all day long, while also brightening the eyes and reviving tired skin.

 

 

Soap & Glory - Rich & Foamous Body Wash

 

I'm sure you have already seen my review on this product? (Click HERE to read this review!) A few weeks later and I am still in love with the smell of this - it seriously smells like cakes.  Its ingrediants are M-Suds MoistureBoost, raw flower honey, almond milk and supersoft skin conditioner with a yummy almond, oats and brown sugar scent which is such a brilliant combination. Not only does it smell gorgeous but it leaves your skin feeling super soft and moist too.

 

 

Miss Selfridge - Black Ankle Boots

 

I have been wanting to buy some ankle boots like these for ages and ages! After visiting almost every shop in the Trafford Centre, I finally found these. They are black suede boots with a slight 'wrinkley' effect on the front and black tassles on the back. They are flat-heeled which is preferable seeing as I'm very tall. They are the type of boots you could wear with a nice dress on a night out or pair with some leggings and a casual shirt, which is another reason I love them. They're stylish and comfy - brilliant find!

Soap & Glory 'Rich & Foamous' Body Wash: Review

I have been using the Soap & Glory 'Rich & Foamous' dual-use shower and bath body wash (what a mouthful!) for around a week now and I am absolutely, crazily, madly in love with this product!

 

 

I am new to Soap & Glory products; I've heard girls raving about them for quite a while but I had never tried them before. Anyway, I ran out of my regular shower gel and decided to give this one a go for a change. When it comes to shower or skin products, I'm instantly attracted to anything that smells good. I love those sweet or fruity smelling products which makes you want to just eat it all up! (though eating a body wash isn't recommended!) Also, the bottle has a pump at the top which I find really useful, especially for using in the shower.

 

I picked up the 'Rich & Foamous' body wash because I fell in love with the scent: it smells like cakes - that is literally the best way I can describe it. Its ingrediants are M-Suds MoistureBoost, raw flower honey, almond milk and supersoft skin conditioner with a yummy almond, oats and brown sugar scent which is such a brilliant combination. I genuinely get excited to shower because it means I can smell this beauty.

 

It's not just the smell that is perfect either: this body wash leaves your skin feeling super soft and moisturised. It's got an amazing, creamy consistency and when you rub it in your hands, it turns bubbly. Also - though I haven't used it myself in this way - it can also be doubled up as a bubble bath if you squirt the product under a running tap.

 

It currently retails at £6.50 and is worth every penny!
 

http://www.soapandglory.com/rich-foamoustm

 

I am really interested in trying out more Soap & Glory products - what do you recommend?