Curly Fry's Shopping Therapy! My Lipstick / Highlighter Haul

If you know me, then you'll know I'm a huge lipstick freak when it comes to makeup, followed closely second by highlighters, which are also an obsession - and my primary love these days are liquid lipsticks. As I was describing to my friend yesterday, I'm so used to wearing lipstick lipsticks, that when I wear 'normal' lipsticks, I keep thinking that it will come off my lips too easily!

I've been pretty good with buying make-up for a few months, so decided to treat myself to a few things a couple of weeks ago. There's a good mix of brands here, and I wanted to wait til I tried them all before I posted (I wore one each day for work!) so here's a quick review about each. My sister also  gave me a pretty highlighter brush in a fish-shape, which I've seen online but wasn't sure where to get from, which adds to my brush collection nicely!

This is my haul - there's a good mix of American and UK brands, some of which were new brands that I hadn't tried before.

As you can see I got mostly liquid lipliners, some highlighters from Makeup Revolution, and some things from Model's Own (which has opened up a store in Westfield near me, which is where I bought these from).

Here are all the lipsticks from left to right - Faryal Makhdoom Cosmetics, Colorpop Ultra Matte Lip, Drayon, Dose of Colors and Model's Own Lip Crayon.

Firstly, the Colorpop lipsticks - I've tried a few lip crayons from this brand so had high hopes for the liquid lipsticks, and wasn't disappointed. I've loved the shades these came in (there were quite a lot to choose from), they smell great and really pigmented. They mostly last the whole day but do come off a little when eating, so not completely long lasting, but very good value for money.
Top to bottom: Beeper (soft pink/nude). Trap (cool mauvey-pink), Tulle (red-toned dusty dark plum)

Next is Dose of Colors which I have been eyeing up for ages on Beauty Bay - I bought two of these when there was a 20% flash sale on so got lucky there.
Top is Pinky Promise, which is an almost neon pink shade, and bottom is Stone, an almost lilac-pink shade which is pretty for every day wear. These are pretty long-wearing and took me a while to get off my arm, so be warned!

Faryal Makhdoom Cosmetics matte liquid lipstick in Latte - I was lucky enough to get this sent to me via the company's Instagram page for free, and love this shade. It's a really lovely nude shade which would suit a lot of skin tones, and feels pretty creamy on. It's not as long-wearing as some higher-end brands but pretty decent in pigmentation and coverage.

Next up is the Model's Own jumbo matte lip crayon in shade Cute Candy, which is a rich brown shade, and has a nice matte look but a creamy feel. I've worn this a few times already to the office because it's a pretty easy colour to wear, pretty flattering on Asian skin and makes a good everyday brown.
I bought the Drayon lipstick from eBay after seeing a Youtube video by Dyna, who compared these to Kylie Jenner liquid lipsticks, and looked like a pretty good dupe. They don't have names, but come in shades, and this is a shade 8. This was surprisingly very pigmented and very long-lasting, although it is another one which takes a while to take off.
Top to bottom: Faryal Makhdoom lipstick in Latte, Model's Own Cute Candy, Drayon shade 8

Lastly are the two strobe highlighters from Makeup Revolution - I'm a big fan of this brand's highlighters and blushes because of how good value they are, and the excellent colour range. I have two or three blushes and highlighters which are my makeup-staple because they are so flattering on me, so I was excited to try these.
As you can see, both of these are decently rich shades, the gold highlighter is pretty gold, although I did expect a bronze undertone which it doesn't really have. The silvery highlighter is actually a holographic one, although the other colours in them are very subtle, but it still makes a nice warm highlighter.
I also did try to use the fish brush with these, but unfortunately, while it picked up the product, it was a little hard so didn't blend on my skin well!
Left highlighter is Flash, right is Gold Addict.

I'm quite pleased with this haul, if you keep an eye out on my Instagram stories, I post my new stuff every now and then, so let me know what you think :)

MAKEUP REVIEW: My Current Top Ten Beauty Products...April 2016

I thought I'd do a quick post about my current top ten makeup favourites, especially as I do get some readers asking for recommendations. Below are a mix of higher-end and drugstore products I use a lot - I wasn't able to post swatches but if you would like to see some, comment below!

1. Too Faced Cocoa Contour Palette
The contouring trend has hit the makeup world hard, so it's natural to want some chiseled cheeks as well! This Too Faced palette is my go-to contouring palette - it's easy to use, and it's perfect for beginners. I'm one of those people where the saying 'less is more' definitely applies, so a light touch of contour is just what I look for. This palette is simple, easy to use and blends beautifully - not to mention smells like yummy chocolate which is always a plus in my books!

2. Inglot Gel Liner
I've been using this gel liner for a few years, the previous gel liner I used was Mac Blacktrack, but I actually prefer this. When I'm not reaching for a liquid eyeliner pen, I reach for this, especially to wear on top of eyeshadows. Not only is it smoother and looks a little blacker, it doesn't dry out as quickly as the Mac gelpot, and is seriously easy to apply. I also bought the Inglot 30T brush with this pot, which is also perfect for precise lines, and is something I would recommend for beginners.

3. Kiko Soft Blush - Shade 100
I bought this on a whim from Kiko, and have been using it for a few years now - it's the perfect glowy  honey gold shade for my skin without looking cakey, and blends really well. I'm a big fan of Kiko Milano products and really think they are great value for money. I've since bought a few more shades in this range and have not been disappointed - perfect for everyday wear or dressier occasions!

4. Anastasia Beverley Hills Dip Brow Pomade
I'll admit, I wasn't sure about this product when it was released because of all of the hype that came with it. But I decided to give it a try and bought shade dark brown, and was pleasantly surprised - it really is that good. I use this pretty sparingly because I'm always a little conscious of having blocky eyebrows - but when applied with a gentle hand, this can really make a difference to your eye makeup.

5. Makeup Revolution Blush in Shade Now
One of my all-time favourite pink blushers - and it only cost £1! I have no idea if this is a dupe for a higher end blush, but it's a really pretty, flattering shade of plummy pink which gets me compliments every time I wear it. I've got a lot of other pink blushers but I still reach for this one for a nice girl look.

6. Mac Face and Body Foundation

I've worn Mac foundation for years, from Studio Fix and Pro-Longwear to the Matchmaster and Sheer Powders, but in the last few years I've used less of these because they either feel too heavy on me or oxidise a little. A big exception is the Face and Body foundation - it's lightweight, thin and easy to blend, and looks very natural on. I always recommend this for people looking for an alternative to tinted moisterisers, the coverage is decent without being heavy and feels natural on.

7. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Creams
I've posted about these before, and my opinion hasn't changed - these are amazing for drugstore liquid lipsticks, and the colour range are lovely - a lot of liquid lipsticks come in bright colours but these are softer and girlier. These are my go-to lipsticks for works, and last me pretty much the whole day - and better still, there have been more colours released recently too!

8. Mac Iridiscent Loose Powder
Quite possibly one of the best-kept secrets by Mac - multi-functioning loose powder which is very fine and beautifully pigmented, in golden bronze and a silvery pink. You can use it alone, mix with foundation or wear on top as a highlighter. I don't know many people who use this but I highly recommend it - a tiny bit goes a long way and really makes your face glow - perfect for strobing too!

9. Nyx Soft Matte lip creams
Another lip product I've blogged about before, these Nyx lip creams are amazing value for money. I had to buy these from a seller in America, but they have since been released in Boots and Selfridges in a big range of colours, which I love. I have most of the colours, and use these pretty much all the time - the nude shades are my favourites!

10. Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks

I know, another liquid lipstick product, but these ones are slightly more higher end and it really shows in the quality of these. I bought these recently via a friend who go them from Sephora, and they are one of my favourites in my lipstick collection. They are beautifully creamy, very pigmented and look great on. If you have a bit more money to spend, I highly recommend these - the shades below are Bahau5 ( a beautiful magenta purple) and Lolita (a rich pink-brown).

I'm pretty sure you can tell I love my lipsticks, especially liquid lipsticks! This isn't really an encompassing list of all of my favourite products, and I'm sure in a few months time it will change, but for now these are my favourites!

Do you own any of these? Which are your favourites?

Curly Fry's Shopping Therapy! Contour and Lipstick fun

I haven't been going too crazy with makeup purchases recently, mostly because I've been trying to use up the makeup and I'm also a makeup addict and end up spending waaaay too much money when I go shopping!

These are a few purchased from my weekend, hubster and I have been saving up for potential holidays/pretty dresses so I've been curbing my spending a little, but I couldn't resist these (mostly) drugstore buys.

I'm really pleased to see that Nyx has come to the UK via Boots and Selfridges, especially as I have a lot of their products which I previously ordered from America,

I'm also looking forward to using the two Makeup Revolution One Blush sticks below, which are really creamy and perfect as a blusher, liptint or contour stick. I've already used them both and love the colours.

Have you tried any of these?

Our Eid...Day One!

Eid was a really nice affair for us this weekend, mainly because it felt quite easy-going for us and we all spent a good amount of time relaxing, eating and spending time together - there's usually a lot of rushing around with various people having to get to in-laws and relatives houses, which didn't feel so bad this time!

Here's a peek at what I wore on Eid, a jade coloured jacket suit by Pakistani label Zainab Hasan, with criss-cross designs and floral embroidery all over the jacket. I had originally intended to wear this outfit on the main day of Eid, and didn't really think I would buy anything new for Eid, mainly because everything was pretty pricey and I didn't see anything I love. More on this soon, but I saw this in a shop (while I was meant to be looking for something else!) and fell in love with the outfit, then talked myself (using my sister as a sounding board!) into buying it!

This is me wearing the outfit (and posing in my mum's garden!) - I loved LOVED how light and comfy this outfit was and how easy it was to wear - I didn't wear a lot of jewellery but I did pair with sparkly heels and red lips to finish off the look.

I had done my own mehndi the night before on my hand (I wanted to get my husband to do my right hand but he just said he would write the alphabet on my hand so I decided to leave it!). I didn't know what bangles to wear so opted for a pretty kundan bracelet and a floral shaped ring, both from Bees, given to me by my husband when we got married as part of my bridal trousseu.

I wanted to make the patterns more intricate and neater than it ended up, and it looked a little wonky. but I liked the colour anyway!

This is my eldest sister's mehndi which she had gotten done as well, I love how neat it looked and the fact that both hands were symmetrical. My other sister had also gotten mehndi done but I forgot to take a photo of hers!

The ladies were, of course, dressed up in beautiful outfits, I didn't get everyone but here's a few -  my sister in the hot pink and blue ombre suit got her outfit stitched (amazingly enough, in time for Eid) which looked really pretty on her, and my sister-in-law wore a gorgeous hot pink, black and white Zainab Chottani jacket suit which I loved. My niece, on the right, bought a beautiful satin printed kurta, which I loved - her mum replaced the boring buttons with beautiful emerald and white stone buttons, which was a really lovely detail.

The babies, as usual, took the main stage as divas - these are what the younger four nieces wore - I love the mix of colour and styles and the fact that they were all such lovely, summery colours.

We also had some yummy treats to enjoy (I also took about three cupcakes home to eat as well, then had to find my husband for them) - the cupcakes were made by one of my sisters, while the fresh-cream cake was given by a cousin of ours. We also had some very yummy food made by my mum, but I actually forgot to take photos of these for once!

I also wanted to show the eye-makeup I had, which I did mainly using the Urban Decay Naked palette. I initially wanted to do a smokey eye, but i loved the glowy pink look of this look so left it was it was, and paired with a matte scarlet lip, Mac's Russian Red, for a dramatic look.

We had a really fun Eid, and it was a peaceful day spent with family and toddler babies, not to mention a bucket load of chocolate (which I really missed during Ramadan!)

I hope you all had a great Eid (regardless of the day you spent it on!) and got lots of presents and/or money, lots of food and that you all looked beautiful!

Chand Raat / Eid Night

My family and I have developed a tradition of usually going to my eldest sister's house for iftar dinner the night before Eid, being a good way to start Eid celebrations. We tend to get together to eat, put mehndi on and watch toddlers be naughty - it's also a great opportunity for us to get dressed up!

This is what I wore, a peach kameez with apple green accents and deep red dupatta - I had bought a separate pair of trousers in pearl pink jamawar material to glam out the outfit but didn't end up wearing it because it didn't really match. I stuck to the original plain peach trousers, but I'll wear the jamawar one with another outfit soon!

The other thing which was new was my shoes - my sisters found them a little too loud but I loved them, and they added a little rainbow sparkle to the outfit!

This is me wearing the outfit (I took the opportunity to pose before we left the house because I knew I'd forget to take proper pictures later!)

I also wanted to include a quick shot of how I did my eye makeup - I used a new loose pigment eyeshadow I'd been meaning to try called Old Gold by Mac Cosmetics. It was a pretty colour, and looked two tone but also had a slightly lime-ish tone to it as well so I'm not sure how well it went with my outfit!

The dinner at my sister's house was fabulous - there were a variety of dishes which we stuffed ourselves with, although our appetites were a little shrunken so we didn't fit a lot into our stomachs!

My sisters, mum and my niece had gotten their mehndi done by a friend who did an amazing job - here's a few pictures of the designs on their hands.

I also loved my nieces outfits too (I did try to get pics of my nephews but neither of them would stand still long enough!) - my eldest niece wore a beautiful teal maxi dress and the two little ones wore pretty lace dresses with leggings. My sister and I thought the dresses with the legging gave a very pretty Lucknow-style 50s look!

My husband and I wanted to head out to local streets after dinner so I could browse the shops and perhaps get some mehndi done - unfortunately it was pretty late and the roads were packed. I wasn't willing to wait around in the blocked traffic to get mehndi done so ended up going home and doing it myself - luckily my sister had a spare cone to give me!

Did you do anything on Chand Raat? Did you get any mehndi done?

Curly Fry's Shopping Therapy! My Nyx Lip Creams and Makeup Revolution Haul

I've been shopping less these days, but I still somehow managed to end up with a bunch of stuff this weekend to make my purse lighter!

I bought some new scarves this weekend from a stall in my local area, whic sells beautiful wool-mix scarves for a bargain. I'm always looking to update my wardrobe and thought these scarves were lovely - all probably will be worn to work this week!

I also received some Nyx matte lip creams which I ordered online, and which I'm looking forward to trying, as well as some Kiko lipliners, and a lip primer. I've been hearing about a new drugstore brand as well, called Make Up Revolution, which has beautiful colours for very cheap prices, and wanted to try this out so bought an eyeshadow palette, bronzer and lipstick from this brand, which I've used and quite liked. I've also put some print trousers (on the right) that I bought recently, which I loved because it can be worn with my Western clothes, but I can also imagine wearing it with a plain white kurta.

Have you tried any of these lately? Any new purchases?