Too faced Cocoa Contour palette and review

Hi all!! 

I make no secret of my love for the cocoa infused Too Faced products. They are creamy, pigmented and smell like my favourite food. So I kind of knew that this was going to be a hit! My little sister kindly bought this for me for my birthday, but I believe it retails at around £32. 

It came in a cardboard sleeve which is cute but will irritate me and no doubt end up in the bin. Here's the back of it though

I really wish they would print this on the back of the actual palette rather than on the sleeve ( Too Faced - we did talk about this with the chocolate palette, please listen to us!)

The front of the actual palette is the same as the sleeve, and the back looks like this;

And the usual little diagram sheet which is always helpful 

The palette contains 2 highlighting shades (one matte highlight and one shimmer/ glitter highlight) and 2 contour shades (medium and dark) as well as a nifty little brush.  I was a bit afraid of the glittery highlight but honestly it's not as harsh on the face as it is in the pan. 

Here are some swatches 

So my verdict is that I really like this palette. BUT I am white as a sheet
naturally and I would really like it if Too Faced released a "Milk chocolate contour palette" for those of us with fair skin, as the milk chocolate soilel bronzer suits my skin tone perfectly. This one I have to be a little careful of not to get too heavy. 

Here's a before and after with the worst lighting ever 

Before : 

After : 

Quite subtle but that's how it's meant to be right!?

Anyone else a huge fan of the Too faced Cocoa palettes or contour kits in general? Anyone have any recommendations for contour with super pale skin? 

Xxx

(Another!) Cherry diva mini haul!

*sigh* Sorry if you guys are getting fed up with these posts but.. I can't stop shopping here. So hauls will continue. This is what I purchased on my latest online spree! 

This was what I originally went on for and the photo does not do it justice! I've been wanting a neckline like this for ages and this little beaut was only £5. Unfortunately I've managed to break the plain chain section already (no idea how but it did travel to Lanzarote) but it's still wearable! I love it! Super 90s and grunge and pretty

Next was this little baby that I've been eyeing up for a while now 

It was only £1 and no idea why I haven't bought it before but I finally caved. It reminds me of Snow White and I love it 

Next was this bad boy which I'm wearing today! It's embossed with roses and is super cute (for a skull!) 

It's on a lot gold chain and it's quite big too! Only £3.50

I've been eyeing this next choker for a while but now that it's in the sale for £1 it would have been rude not to

Lastly was this layered necklace. I haven't worn it yet (I'm a little afraid of "chain" style necklaces) but I'm sure I'll be brave enough soon. I just loved the vintage looking key mostly. This one set me back £5

So all in all I only spent £16.50 with shipping costs (only 99p in the UK) cheap as chips! 

I think I was quite restrained but I do already have my eye on this so who knows how long for?! 

I also recommend signing up for their newsletter if you are considering making a purchase as they always have different offers and flash sales and the like 

Shop Cherry Diva here ; http://www.cherrydiva.co.uk

LVL Lash treatment and review

Look! lashes!! I know big lashes are no new thing, but I have been seriously obsessed with having huge lashes since I was 13 years old. When I was on holiday I was lucky enough to meet a lovely 18 year old who took me under her wing and taught me how to "properly" apply mascara.

 I have spent over an hour doing my mascara on more than one occasion. I'm definitely a lash perfectionist and want them long and separated. 

So one day I went to my boyfriends house and saw his sister. Her lashes were twice the size as usual AND she had no mascara on. What is this sorcery?! I needed it yesterday! 

LVL lashes. LVL stands for "Lengh, volume and lift" and as you can see from my before and after, I think that's a pretty accurate description. The treatment took around 1 hour, and I had to have a patch test done at least 24 hours beforehand. 

From what I could feel, my lashes were tinted and then shields were placed on my eyes. My lashes were placed on the shields and the treatment applied. It sounds painful but I felt nothing at all and the results are amazing.  My therapist is called Emma and she's pretty damn fabulous herself too in my opinion! This little statement is taken from her website

http://www.mybeautybyemma.co.uk/lvl/

"LVL is a revolutionary treatment that provides you with longer looking lashes without the need for lash extensions. LVL which stands for Length, Volume and Lift uses an innovative technique to gently lift and straighten the lashes, giving your lashes a thicker and more voluminous look. The results are immediately visible and it is a low-maintenance and long-lasting treatment with the results lasting up to 6 weeks. The treatment takes approximatley 45mins-1hour and includes an eyelash tint."

The treatment cost £40 and is worth every single penny. This is seriously the best thing that has ever happened to my makeup and eyelash life. I can achieve the same long lashes with minimum time and effort, and can even go without mascara at a push. It's like I've got my lash extensions again, only better (no pain, no ruined lashes, no crossed lashes, I can actually wash my face properly etc)

Honestly I would recommend this treatment (and Emma with it)  to anyone who likes the longer lash look. I am definitely a convert and will be getting them done on a regular basis from now on. 

Here's a nice side view for you! (Ignore my red skin I had my brows waxed, pale ladies feel my pain!) 

With mascara..

2 weeks on and still fabulous 

For information and booking enquiries, please see Emma's website 

 

http://www.mybeautybyemma.co.uk/lvl/ or Facebook page Emma Nixon ( Beauty by Emma) 

Daenerys inspired braids

I love a braid. It doesn't take all that much effort (once you are used to it) and makes you look like you spent ages doing your hair (in reality I spend hours on my makeup and little or no time dealing with my locks) 

I also love Dany from Game of Thrones. She's a badass dragon queen with nice hair. What's not to love? I've tried lots of braid looks, but my latest attempt is a more "wearable" version of this (without looking like a completely mental fan girl) 

So here's my attempt 

 I've got to say, I kind of love it. It's basically a French, Dutch braid plaited towards the back of the head so that it stays in that position itself. A Dutch braid is simply a plait where the pieces are placed under each other, not over. If you do not know how to Dutch/French braid then it's worth checking out some YouTube tutorials, as that's how I learnt! 

It's super comfortable and keeps my hair off my face in this unusually hot British weather. 

Front view! I secured the end of the braids with small elastics, and they have stayed in place all day! 

Have any of you guys tried to recreate any Game of Thrones / Daenerys Targaryen inspired hair styles?