The Urban Decay Vice Palette

Urban Decay: The Vice Palette

I am so, so lucky to be able to write this post as I won this beautiful palette in Coco’s giveaway. Coco blogs over at The Beauty Milk, her blog is filled with fabulous beauty posts with stunning pictures to match; I highly recommend a read I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I remember seeing so many people on twitter enter this giveaway so when a little email popped up in my inbox saying I’d won I actually screamed and about scared my boyfriend to death. I am so excited about this palette I wanted to share my excitement with you.

The Urban Decay Vice Palette contains 20 new eye shadows which are a mix or mattes and shimmers and range from bright to neutrals, basically there is something in this palette for everyone and the amount of looks you can create are endless.

The packaging is gorgeous; it’s simple, sleek and purple which is perfect. I love the fact it has a HUGE mirror inside and it also includes a Good Karma Shadow and Crease Brush.

My favourite colours have to be Provocateur, Anonymous, Lace and, Freebird as I’m a neutral kind of girl at heart but I have also been using Vice a lot underneath the outer edge of my eye.  The quality of the shadows are amazing and it definitely makes me want to purchase for UD eye shadows  I need to start getting creative with my eye shadow!

I honestly cannot tell you how much I love this palette and how incredibly lucky I feel to have won it and I want to thank Coco once again. If you head over to The Beauty Milk now Coco has another Giveaway up to win a Tarte Blush and a Mac Lipstick! The Giveaway is running until 14^th February so what are you waiting for?

Do you own this palette? What other Urban Decay Eye shadows do you recommend? Do I really need a Naked palette in my life next?

Charlie's Diary

Pizza Night ♥ Alcohol Free ♥ The Snow ♥ Hire Car ♥ FOTD ♥ Sunday Lunch ♥ Nail Polish ♥ Malteaster Bunnies ♥ Vine

I've had quite a bit going on lately so it’s time for a catch up.

First of all if you read my blog you might remember a couple of weeks ago I was involved in a small accident and my car was hit from behind. The one exciting thing that did come out of it was that I got to drive a brand new white fiesta which I nicknamed ‘The Polar Bear!’  My car is supposed to be coming back to me today and Ito be honest I will be sad to see this little beaut go but I'm also happy my little car Percy is ok.

I’m very happy to say the snow in my area has now melted. I love snow when it involved cute country walks, snowmen and snowball fights but when it gets icy and slushy it’s just a massive inconvenience, I can’t remember how many times I nearly fell over! I need to remember to purchase a decent pair of willies so I'm prepared for next time.

My New Year resolutions are still going strong, my gym member ship is being put to good use and not one drop of alcohol has touched my lips all month.  We had a dinner party earlier in the month and as I was buying drink for others I came across some non-alcoholic Kopperberg, who knew!? I’m going to London this weekend for my friend’s birthday and I'm predicting mega drunkness after 2 glass of wine!

Although I've been good I have also had a few treats, sometimes a pizza has just gotta be done.  I also went out for dinner for my dad’s birthday and I couldn't resist the roast beef.

As usual there is always the difficult decision of what colour to paint my nails I don’t know why I find this such a challenge every time? Last night and jumped on the VINE bandwagon, its like Instagram but with short video clips, do you have it? Leave your names below, you can find me under Miss Charlie B.

Oh and Malteaster bunnies are back…I am addicted.

What have you been up to?

Follow me on Instagram: Misscharlieb_xx

MeMeMe Flawless Cream Foundation

Blush Beige 02

For the past year or to my go to everyday foundation has been the Revlon Colourstay for Combination /Oily skin and while I'm still a fan I just felt that throughout the winter months it was leaving my skin feeling a little dull. Do you ever have the feeling when you have finished your make up that it still just looks a bit..meh? I decided a foundation shake up was in order.

Before Christmas I had just move house so even though I wanted to test a high end foundation my bank balance just wouldn't allow it. After a lot of swatching I decided to go with the MeMeMe Flawless Cream Foundation in Blush Beige.

I've never tried a cream foundation before so I was quite intrigued and as the Laura Mercier foundation I was is called ‘Silk Crème’ I was hoping it might be similar?

The packaging is plastic which I'm not so keen on but I do like the fact that the inside moves up so you can see how much you have left, if that makes sense, (the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation does the same thing).

The product is dispensed by a pump and I use one pump to cover my whole face. This foundation blends into the skin so easily! I think that may be because it’s a cream, but I've never had a foundation that buffs in so easily and blends so well, this foundation with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush is a dream team. The coverage is medium but can be built up and it gives a semi matte finish, I wouldn't say matte but I also wouldn't say dewy so somewhere is the middle which is perfect for me as my t-zone can get quite oily I don’t want to much of a shiny finish.

The staying power is great and lasts the majority of my working day without the need to reapply.

The name states the word ‘Flawless’ which is a big promise but I have to agree, it covers all my blemishes and redness and leaves my skin looking smooth and healthy. It also has a slight vanilla scent when applying which is quite nice.

The MeMeMe Flawless Cream Foundation retails for £12.50 which is creeping up on the pricy side for a high street foundation but I’d say for the quality it’s worth the price. The only thing that would make this product better is a glass bottle.

Have you tried this foundation or anything from MeMeMe? What’s your favourite high street foundation?

My Current Favourite Candle

Mulled Wine and Cinnamon Apples

I love candles, I think they are so relaxing and winter is the perfect excuse to burn as many as you like. One of my favourite things to do is to curl up with a good book or film and watch by candle light it really makes me just forget about the days stresses.

I picked up this Colour Changing Candle by Air Wick around Christmas time simply because I was really excited it changes colour, I know I'm easily pleased. The scent I opted for is Mulled Wine & Cinnamon Apple, I was a bit worried that the cinnamon might be slightly over powering but it’s not it smells absolutely delicious and it just makes me want to celebrate Christmas all over again.

I’m not quite sure how it works, I was expecting it to gradually change colour as it burned but it actually changes every few seconds and its quite hypnotising.

This retails at about £7 but I got mine when it was on offer in Asda for £4. I know a lot of people are willing to spend quite a lot on candles but to be honest this does exactly the job I need, it smells divine and looks great.

Have you tried any Colour Changing Candles? What’s your favourite candle?

Recent Repurchases

Caudalie Beauty Elixr ♥  Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm ♥  Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic ♥  Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder ♥  Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer  

Hi Guys! January has been the longest month for me money wise, trying to stretch my wages for 6 weeks has been a mammoth task so I have really tried to keep my spending to a minimum. There are a few products though that were essential for my survival. You know you love a product when you dread the thought of them running out and continue to repurchase over and over again even in the tight money months.

My first experience with the Caudalie Beauty Elixr was very love/hate, it wasn't until I actually finished the bottle I realised it was actually true love. You know that saying "You don't know what you got til its gone?" This is definitely how I feel about this and I appreciate it so much more now I have it back in my life.

This is my First full size Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm and I actually purchased it while I was half way though my trial size pot! I love, love, love it it's probably the best product that's ever happen to my skin.

Before I repurchased the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic I tried my hardest to find a high street toner that I loved just as much, this didn't happen. This toner is so gentle and effective it really soothes my skin but if  you do know of a high street dupe please let me know!

Make up wise, the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder and Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer are products that I've actually lost count of how many times I've repurchased. Its so good when you fall in love with products that don't break the bank, they both have a  very safe place in my make up bag for the foreseeable future.

Today I have finally been paid! Friday and pay day is such a win it actually feels like my birthday right now. I just need to try and not go crazy and spend the majority of it in the first week. Am I the only one that finds there is too much month left at the end of the money? Happy Friday everyone.

Ways to Follow My Blog...

Hi Ladies. I've been a busy little bee lately and joining lots of different social media sites as a way for you to follow my blog. I know lots of people prefer different ways to follow people due to different apps etc so I'm hoping now I can reach most people their preferred way.

GFC: All you need to do is click 'Join This Site' in the sidebar and voila my posts will appear in your blog dashboard.

Hello Cotton: This is fast becoming one of my favourite ways to follow and discover new blogs. You create an account which you can add your blog too, then you have access to a world of new blogs from beauty and fashion to travel and cooking. You can follow me HERE.

Bloglovin: I find this quite confusing and I'm only just starting to get my head around it. Its similar to Hello Cotton but it doesn't let you see who is following you. I've just downloaded the ipad app for this though and it's so much easier for reading blogs on the go. You can find me HERE.

She Said Beauty: Is brand new to me but I think it's great and I love the layout, You also get to show products you like and review them too. you can follow me HERE or click the link in the sidebar.

Twitter: I love to Tweet! It;s such a good way to interact with other bloggers especially if you join in with the #bbloggers chat on Sunday and Wednesday nights at 8pm. I've learned so much from these chats and now have wish lists at long as my arm! Come and chat @eatplayshopblog

Instagram: If you love taking photos you will love this. I take photos of everything and anything from, food to beauty products and just things in general life. I am Misscharlieb_xx

So there we have my little social media empire. If you fancy a chat you know where to find me. What way do you prefer to follow? Are you on any of these sites?

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish: Soft and Gentle

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish: Soft and Gentle

“A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish”

This may come as a shock to some of you but this is my first ever MAC product, I'm not quite sure why I've never purchased one before but I just haven’t, so you can imagine my excitement Christmas morning when I opened this.

Soft and Gentle is well hyped in the blogger world and it has been on my wish list for a while. I love how the product has quite a marble effect which makes it look that extra bit luxurious.

The colour is a gorgeous champagne colour which will suit most skin tones, I'm naturally quite fair skinned and I find it looks lovely on my natural skin colour and when I have a bit of a tan (which is usually fake these days, sigh.) I can’t wait to use this in the summer as it will be great to give me that healthy summer glow without looking too glittery.

I apply this with my Real Techniques Contour Brush, and sweep it on to my cheek bones, brow bone and anywhere else I thing needs a bit of brightening. I also love the fact you get a massive 10 grams worth of product, this is seriously going to last me a long time. The MSF Retail for £21.50 which for the amount of product you get I’d say is definitely great value for money.

Now that my MAC virginity has been broken I'm looking forward to trying some more products from them, the MSF in Stereo Rose looks gorgeous and I've been recommended my first MAC Lipstick should be something like Crème Cup or Shy Girl.

Have you got any MAC recommendations for me?

Sunday Funday: The Roast

Grilled Goat's Cheese with Roast Peppers, Raspberries and Rocket Salad

Slow Cooked Blade of Beef with Horseradish Mash and Roast Vegetables

The Polar Bear

Once again the weekend is over, why do those 2 days always go so fast!? Yesterday for me was a very indulgent. On the spur of the moment my house mate and I decided that a roast dinner was well and truly needed, I don’t know about you but this weather just makes me want something warm and comforting.

We went to one of our fave little restaurants which is conveniently only a 10 minute walk from our house, and for the mega deal of 2 courses for £10.95 you really can’t complain.

I opted for the goats cheese starter which was delicious but so filling! My eyes are always bigger than my belly and 1 course would have definitely been enough. The beef was just melt in your mouth gorgeous, slow cooked meats always have such a great taste but I felt like I'd put on about 2 stone afterwards!

I've been keeping up with my resolutions and been to the gym 3 times each week which I'm pretty proud that I've managed to stick to it. I've also still not had any alcohol through all of January and it’s really not bothered with me that much. With dinner I had 2 slim line tonics i think it still pretty much tastes like its got vodka in it so i don’t feel like I'm missing out, maybe ill end up t total after this!

Look at my hire car all camouflaged in the snow. What's the point in having a flashy new car to ride around in when it’s so snowy and slippy! I'm hoping my car will be back from the garage soon but its really made me think it might be time to upgrade. Why does everything cost so much money, sigh. Speaking of money its finally pay day on Friday for me yeeeeeeees!! What a long month it's been.

Hope you all had a great weekend and the snow isn't causing you too many problems. 

Nails: A Case of the Blues

Bikini So Teeny ♥ Celestial  ♥ Dazzling Blue ♥ Azure ♥ Betty Blues

I’m one of those girls that like to paint my nails according to my mood and this week didn't start great for me, hence feeling a bit blue. I also like to use nail polish as a way to lift my mood; if I have pretty nails it makes me feel that bit better.

It turns out I own quite a few blue polishes, who knew?  I've picked out my top 5 which are a lovely mix of shades. Essie’s Bikini So Teeny was one of the most hyped polish of last year, a gorgeous pale blue perfect for summer. When I purchased Bikini So Teeny I didn't realise i actually owned a very similar colour, Topshop's Celestial is just slightly brighter, I might not have bought Essie if I had realised this but I still like them both.

Dazzling blue From Max Factor is a lovely sky blue with a gold shimmer running though it, I love this just because its really different. Rimmel's Azure I wear when I fancy something a bit in your face, I love the pearly finish it has. Last but not least is Betty Blues by No7, a navy, off black which I think is quite sophisticated. When it catches the light you can see its beautiful midnight sheen.

This weeks winner though has to be Bikini So Teeny. Even though I said its perfect for summer, I think it looks great in this cold frosty weather. I always get complements on my nails when I wear this and that did help give me a little lift.

Do you own any of these colours? Which is your favourite?

I've Been Guest Posting : Mascara Review

Hi Ladies, the lovely Megs from Wonderful You has gone on holiday and if you follow her on Twitter and Instagram you will have seen her posting her disgustingly fabulous photographs of what she's been getting up to. While I'm sitting her typing in my scarf and ever so fashionable fleece she has been having an amazing time over in Australia, I would be lying if I said I wasn't completely jealous, what have we got to do to get some sunshine over here!?

Meg has been kind enough to let me guest post on her blog, which I was thrilled about! As my Mascara posts always seem to go down quite well on my blog I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reveal the mascara that hasn't left my lashes since I purchased it. So if you would like to find out what mascara created this lash fluttering look click on the link below and all will be revealed.

 Wonderful You 

I just want to thank Meg once again for letting me take part in her guest posts, and if you aren't already following her why not?! Her blog with filled with beautiful clothes, photography and she's just a bit gorgeous too.

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're not all snowed in, I was really disappointed at the lack of snow this morning I had my fingers and toes crossed for a snow day! If you do have a snow day please make sure you sped it wisely with lots of sledging, snowball fights and snow man building. I'm gonna make a cuppa and get back to work. Have a good weekend.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

I received this little pot of loveliness for Christmas and I'm just gonna dive straight in there and tell you I don't know what I did without this product. 

We all want a flawless face and I love trying new primers to create that perfect base. Everyone raves about Benefits, The POREfessional but for me I just couldn't get one with it, yes it filled my pores but it left my skin feeling very greasy. My skin is combination/oily so I really don’t want more oiliness adding to it.

I apply the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch after moisturising and focus it around my t-zone and chin, after a few minutes I then apply my foundation. The product comes with a spatula to help apply it and you only need to use a tiny amount.

The first time I applied this after finishing my makeup I was absolutely amazed at the results. I don’t wanna toot my own horn or anything but I had one of those moments when I looked in the mirror and actually thought my skin looked great, like I really had created the ‘Perfect base’. My pores were filled, redness reduced and my skin felt velvety soft, my foundation applied over it like a dream.

I really don’t have a bad word to say about this product, obviously I wish it was cheaper for when I need to repurchase but to be honest I am gonna have to bite the bullet because its a fabulous product.

You can pick up the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch from Feel Unique for £25.

Have you tried this yet? What primer do you use?

Weekend Catch Up

Hi guys. Its Monday again, and after a great weekend my Monday has been pretty (excuse my language) shit.

On my way to work this morning a car behind me managed to go into the back of me. Percy, my poor little car is not looking good. I've spent most of the morning on the phone to insurance companies; luckily the other guy has accepted full responsibility but it’s still such a hassle trying to get everything sorted. I also need a hire car so it will be interesting to see what I get.

It’s so typical I was only saying to my boyfriend just yesterday how I've never had an accident blah blah blah, I'm just so glad it wasn't my fault.

If there is snow/slush/ice where you are just be careful and aware of breaking distances, I know I sound like a preacher now but I'm so grateful my accident wasn't a lot worse. I'm hoping the damage on my car won’t be too bad.

Anyway, the rest of my weekend was great. I’m still trying to watch my money as payday is still over 2 weeks away but on Friday night we had a small dinner party to make up for the fact I was ill on new year which was great. My non drinking is going strong, who knew you can get non alcoholic Kopperberg!? I've made it 2 we whole weeks and honestly I've really not missed it. My boyfriend is doing so well and has currently raised about £300 for cancer research, I’m so proud!

Saturday night was a night of films and snacks, still trying to be healthy we opted for cucumber, carrot sticks and humous, I did kinda miss the doritios and sour cream dip! It’s so relaxing watching films by candle light. Two completely different films, TED and Black Hawk Down both a definitely worth a watch.

At the moment I’m just sitting at home waiting for my house mate to come home, I’m going to paint my nails a nice bright colour to cheer me up. The only good thing that’s come out of today was leaving work early and while there was light I was able to take some product photos woohoo!

What have you been up to this weekend? Hope your Monday was better than mine!

Emma Hardie Professional Facial Starter Kit

Amazing Face Professional Facial Starter Kit

Emma Hardie is one of those luxury skincare brands I have wanted to try for a while now, it's been doing the rounds on the blogsophere and each post I've read has made me want to try it even more.

I found the Professional Facial Started Kit on the Whats in My Handbag Website for £25, but lucky for me I timed it just right as they were giving £10 off orders over £20, WIN! What a great way to introduce me to the brand.

♥ Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm was the product I was most excited to try. I have never used a balm cleanser before so I really didn't know what to expect. The consistency is like no other cleanser I've used, it’s balmy (obviously) but that really is the best way to explain it. I have to say I am 100% on the bandwagon for this product as so far my skin as seen amazing results and it has really helped to clear up the blemishes on my chin. I was a bit naughty and have already purchased this full sized in the January sale from Feel Unique oops. I will do a full review soon.

♥ Natural Lift and Sculpt Firming Eye Cream is a product, like most eye creams that will take a while to tell whether they have actually worked. I do like using this though and this morning, after I used it the last few nights I thought I looked more awake than normal but it is rather expensive for the full size so I don’t think I’ll be purchasing this any time soon but I will enjoy using up what I have left.

♥ Roseship Exfoliating Seeds, This is probably the most bizarre product I have ever used. you mix this in with the balm cleanser to exfoliate your skin and it literally felt like I was rubbing sand into my skin. Afterwards though I cannot tell you how soft my skin felt, it really gave my face an amazing deep clean and my face was ridiculously soft. I've been doing this once and week and this little pot is going to last me ages.

♥ Natural Lift and Sculpt Hydrating and Firming Treatment Moisturiser is a really lovely creamy moisturiser that just sinks into my skin. I have been using this every night and it leaves my skin feeling soft and velvety, I think it works great with the cleansing balm. Again it’s quite pricey and I think my Liz Earle moisturiser which I usually use at night does the same thing and is cheaper so I think I’ll be sticking with that.

♥ Dual Action Professional Cleansing Cloth has a side which is more abrasive for exfoliation and a more gentle side for cleansing and perfecting. I find this much better than a normal muslin cloth, it’s very soft. You have to purchase these separately from the balm but I’d say it’s worth it.

The only thing I’m not sure about with Emma Hardie is the scent, I know a lot of people love it but I just find it very peculiar. It's almost lemony with a bit of a twang haha, I don’t hate it but just wish it was a bit more subtle, however this won’t be stopping me from re purchasing the Cleansing Balm again I can see me using this for a long time.

Have you tried anything from Emma Hardie?

I woke up this morning thinking it was Friday, what a slap in the face, still another whole day of work to go! Did anybody else watch The Notebook last night? I cried like a complete baby. At the end it left me thinking 1, Why don't I look Like Rachel McAdams and 2. Ryan Gosling is hooooot!