Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick Haul

Hello My Lovelies,

I hope you are all doing well and you have had a fabulous weekend! I haven't been feeling too peachy this week and, to be honest, I've woken up feeling so much worse today, however, I know writing on my blog always makes me feel better! As you all know by now I have a huge passion for makeup and one of my favourite beauty items are lipsticks. When I was in New York last November (So sorry I haven't posted my Sephora haul yet) I wanted to make the most of my time there and, of course, get my hands on some items that might not necessarily be available here in the UK. Whilst exploring the city I stumbled across a makeup store called Ricky's. In all honesty, I had never heard of Ricky's before so I was intrigued to find out more after noticing they sold Morphe, LA Girl, Gerard Cosmetics and more through the store window. So, I thought today I would share with you the gorgeous Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks I picked up. You can get hold of Gerard Cosmetics in a few online stores here in the UK but being able to see the shades in person just sold me there on the spot. I did pick up a few other Gerard Cosmetics items but I thought I would start off with something I adore...lipstick!

A little disclaimer: I know there have been some highs and lows for the brand within the past few months, however, I still wanted to write up a review and offer my two cents about the makeup itself. I am writing this review as a complete third party because I honestly couldn't miss the opportunity of trying some of these products whilst I was over in the US.

Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks are long wearing, full coverage lip colour designed to create flawless looking lips and help you enhance you smile to look more Hollywood pearly white. The lipsticks themselves warm with the natural heat of your lips to glide on seamlessly, enveloping the lips in rich, pigmented colour. These lipsticks are cruelty-free and long lasting, are extremely comfortable to wear and are well known throughout the beauty community. They make the perfect daily lipstick option or evening alternative to add to a variety of different makeup looks. 

Now, let's talk about the packaging! It is no secret that these lipstick bullets look super sleek and oh-so-luxurious. I mean, let's face it...you'll never loose one of these lipsticks in your handbag. The only slight negative feature to the packaging is the fact that it picks up your fingerprint and pretty much anything super easily (which you can see in the photography and it makes me sad haha) and it also reflects pretty much everything - I had to ditch one of my photos because you could see me in my pyjamas - the ohh so glamorous side to behind the scenes blogging haha. Even though these are slight drawbacks I don't think they would ever stop me repurchasing more in the future - I really enjoyed using these lipsticks and I would definitely recommend them.

The first shade I decided to give a try was this gorgeous red shade called Fire Engine which you guessed it, is pretty much a Fire Engine red shade. I used to be so scared of wearing red lipstick and I honestly never thought it suited me. Since starting my blog it has really opened my eyes and I love that I have become more daring with makeup and open to wearing more vivid and unique lipstick shades. Red hot lips are classic, timeless and just scream glamorous Hollywood. The formulation of this particular lipstick was matte but honestly, it was so comfortable to wear, it didn't dry out my lips and it made my teeth look super white which is a fabulous plus!

The second shade I decided to pick up was Rodeo Drive which is a gorgeous dusty rose shade. Dusty pink / mauvy shade are some of my favourites to wear and knowing this shade was called Rodeo Drive (one of my favourites placed in the world) made me want to own it even more. Gerard Cosmetics call this their pretty women shade that offers you that posh, pretty, opaque and creamy texture. The formulation of this shade was a satin so it was extremely glossy and comfortable to wear - and I have loved wearing it with so many different makeup looks.

The next shade I decided to try out was Underground which is something definitely outside of my comfort zone. This shade is the perfect blend of warm earth and cool grey tones with a touch of pink for an ultra wearable lip shade which offers you that classic but modern nude twist. I am completely obsessed with this shade (I never thought I would be) and I love layering it with my favourite lip liners. This formulation was also a satin so it was extremely comfortable to wear and offers a glossy finish - it also made it super easy to blend in with lip liner to create the perfect hybrid shade.

The final shade I decided to try was 1995 which is a very popular shade that Gerrard Cosmetics currently offer. At the time when MAC Velvet Teddy was sold out everywhere, this was the go-to alternative. This shade was inspired by the neutral nudes of the 90s - that whole 90s grunge revival beauty trend that has made a fabulous comeback. This is also a matte formulation and offers that trendy and timeless expression of glam that we all know and love from the 90s. This is a gorgeous shade that would pair lovely with a dark smokey eye.

One thing I noticed after seeing the shades in real life, trying them on and swatching them was the fact that the colour guide on the Gerard Cosmetics website is not so accurate. On the website Fire Engine looks more of a deep red with brown hues, Rodeo Drive looks like a deep burgundy and 1995 looks like a deep chocolate brown. The only shade that I thought was accurate was Underground. Before blogging and more so now I have my own blog I will always seek out swatches before purchasing makeup online - it has honestly saved me from making some makeup mistakes in the past haha. Just a little tip I thought I would share. 

I paid these lipsticks $19 (£13) each in New York, however, you can pick these up for £9.50 in the UK - so I did get ripped off slightly with the price (whoops!) - so bare that in mind if you are considering purchasing them in the future. Overall, I have really enjoyed adding these four lipsticks to my makeup collection and I am so pleased with the shades I picked up and how well they apply and feel on my lips. I would definitely consider trying some more in the future. I hope you all enjoyed this review and swatch post - I would love to hear your thoughts on the lipstick shades and what shades you have your eyes on. Like always lovelies, if you have any questions, requests or if you just want a chat you can contact me on my social media or leave me a comment below. I love hearing from you all and I make sure to read every single comment…they really make my day!

Lots of Love

Glossybox | January 2016

Hello My Lovelies,

I hope you are all doing well and are having a wonderful January so far! This is going to be my first official post of 2016 and I am super excited about jumping back into blogging. I think I needed some time away from it all these past few weeks but I am back and extremely excited for what is to come. Like everyone else, January was a month of fresh starts for me. I wanted to start the year as I meant to go on and just throw myself into various things, one being my blog itself. You can see my full 2015 Reflection and 2016 Blogging Goals here. I thought I would kick things off with an unboxing of this months Glossybox. I always get super excited when it arrives on my doorstep and I can't wait to share it with you all. This month is all about 'The Year of More' - very appropriate with January and the New Year itself - let's take a peek inside!

Naobay Orange Juice Hand Cream | Full Size | £14.00* 

The first product that instantly took my eye was this Naobay Orange Juice Hand Cream. Now, Naobay is a brand I have become familiar with and I have Glossybox to thank for that as they introduced me to them. Every now and again a Naobay product will pop up in a Glossybox and I am always intrigued to see what product they will introduce to me next. Our hands tend to get a little dry throughout the winter time, but not to worry as this orange scented hand cream will keep your glossy paws hydrated and nourished. The formulation is infused with Orange Juice, Shea Butter, Chamomille and Alo Vera extracts to hydrate the most parched hands. 

Unani Dermo Defense Face Mask | Full Size | £11.36*

Next up we have this clever herbal-based mask that has two skincare missions: to care for your skin and keep it protected. It nourishes and hydrates skin while removing impurities. According to the Unani website you can use this mask 1-2 times a week over a cleansed face - simply leave the mask for 10 minutes to work its magic and then rinse off with water. Slowly but surely you will notice a profound improvement in cell renewal and skin regeneration. 

Madara Cellular Repair Serum | Full Size | £38.00*

I am amazed, this is the only luxury sized sample in the box and it's value is a whopping £38 - this product alone has paid for the box three times! This is a new brand to me so I was intrigued to find out more about this product. This is a clinically proven serum fro Madara that combines cell repairing bio-complex alongside revitalising birch juice (the wonder ingredient that the beauty world is currently buzzing about) to plump skin whilst boosting hydration and radiance. This sounds like a wonderful skincare product! 

Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve | Full Size | £7.10* 

When I saw that there was an exclusive Glossybox eyeshadow in the box my eyes literally lit up with joy. This season, smoky purple and blue eyes are everywhere and Glossybox have created their own version. I am extremely impressed with this eyeshadow and I can't wait to try more Glossybox own products. This is a great dupe for MAC's Blue Brown pigment and comes in at only half of the price. 

Teez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick | Full Size | £11.93*

Finally but certainly not least we have this gorgeous coral lipstick by Teez Cosmetics. This is another new brand to me but going off the lipstick itself and the packaging I am already impressed. This lipstick has a highly pigmented coverage and leaves a gorgeous satin finish tot he lips and has coconut within the formulation to keep your lips nourished and hydrated. This is a shade you can wear pretty much anytime of the year and paired with the Glossybox eyeshadow would make the perfect on-trend combination this season.

I hope you all enjoyed this evenings post and taking a peek inside this month's Glossybox. Overall, I am really impressed with this months box and I am already excited for next month's box - being February (the month of love) I would love to see a Valentines themed box. In total this months box works out around £80 and for a £12.95* box (including p&p) you are definitely getting your money's worth. Previous boxes have contained a bit of a mixture when it comes to products, however, I quite like that this month is focused more around skincare and beauty - getting you all set for the year ahead. Like always lovelies, if you have any questions, requests or if you just want a chat you can contact me on my social media or leave me a comment below. I love hearing from you all and I make sure to read every single comment…they really make my day!

Lots of Love

*PR Sample