Priya Talks Lipstick

My Top 5 Favourite Red Lipsticks

I just love Insta Story polls! I asked if my next blog post should be my favourite red lipsticks or favourite pink lipsticks. Red won by a small margin! Those who voted for pinks - I have more blog posts in the pipeline for my favourite pink and nude lipsticks so stay tuned.

I used to love wearing a red lip on a night out. A winged liner and red lip was always a staple "out out" look for me. Over the years, my make up has changed and I don't often reach for red lipsticks anymore. I don't feel I necessarily need a bright lip to make a statement, however, every time I wear a red lipstick I'm reminded of how glam and polished it makes me feel!

It's actually crazy that as someone who has always had a love for red lipstick, I don't actually own as many as I thought. I am definitely more of a pink girl when it comes to lipstick but sometimes there is nothing quite like a red lipstick for a bold pop of colour.

My red lipsticks range from blood red shades to more orange-toned reds and matte finishes to satin. I prefer my red lipstick to be matte so all but one of these lipsticks are a matte finish (oops!) but I am always open to trying different formulas and shades of red.

So in no particular order, here are my favourite 5 red lipsticks...

A while ago I asked by poll on Insta Stories what you would most like my next blog post to be - favourite winter lipsticks or a what's in my make up bag? You can guess which one was a winner!

Life has changed a lot since having a baby, as has my make up routine. Unless hubby is at home to watch munchkin whilst I get ready, I don't have an awful lot of time to spend doing my make up. Actually, I don't tend to wear any make up at all 90% of the time but the 10% of the time that I do, these products are what I reach for.

The make up products I have in my bag at the moment have been my go to products for the past couple of months. I do switch them up every now and then but these are the ones I am loving for my everyday make up lately...

I am going to admit it - I am addicted to liquid lipsticks. I've tried so many different formulas by different brands but funnily enough had not tried any from some of the first liquid lipsticks on the market - Stila's Stay All Day liquid lipsticks!

These lipsticks were very popular a few of years ago as not many make up companies were producing liquid lipsticks and are still a favourite amongst make up lovers. I am a sucker for lipstick anyway but when it promises to be "long-lasting, full coverage and comfortable" I cannot resist!

Happy New Year, all. A teething/crawling baby meant I have had no time to blog recently plus life kind of just took over but I am back with lots of posts in the pipeline.

I was so excited to receive these eyeliners through the post from Influenster. I cannot remember the last time I purchased an eyeliner so I was looking forward to trying out something new and different.

Marc Jacobs has just launched these gorgeous "matte-but-not-flat" gel eyeliners in an array of colours. The eyeliners claim to be waterproof and long-wearing which I always look for in an eyeliner.

I was glad to receive two eyeliners from the collection to test out. I was sent the colours (Earth)Quake and Pink Of Me.

The eyeliners come housed in sleek, glossy, black cardboard packaging. I love the Marc Jacobs packaging as it is minimalist but looks great on my vanity.

The eyeliners come in the form of a silver, retractable pencil which is easy to use as there is no need to sharpen. The colour of the eyeliner is easily identifiable by the coloured band across the top of the pencil which is always handy when you are in a rush and need to find something quickly!

I'm a huge fan of both brown and nude eyeliners so was really happy to be sent colours that I know I would definitely get a lot of wear out of.

(Earth)Quake is a gorgeous, dark, rich brown shade that can be used to line the upper and lower lashline but also as an all over base to create a smokey eye.

Pink Of Me is a nude/light pink which I would use on the lower waterline to create the illusion of bigger eyes and also to hide signs of tiredness (something I know a lot about at the moment!) and look more awake.

I was so impressed when I swatched these on the back of my hand. (Earth)Quake was as pigmented as I expected it to be being a darker colour but I was surprised with just how pigmented Pink Of Me was for a such a light shade. Both were so creamy and smooth to apply and the colours are beautiful. The formula is definitely waterproof - it took a lot of scrubbing with a make up wipe to wipe these off! This is always a good sign!

I used (Earth)Quake to line my upper and lower lash lines and smudged it out for a soft, smokey eye. The eyeliner lasted all day on both my upper and lower lash lines and I managed to remove it with ease using my Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm and a muslin cloth.

I took a photo but the lighting was so terrible it did not do it justice. I will be sure to upload a photo of me wearing these soon!

Overall, I love these eyeliners and would love to try out more colours from the range which is available at John Lewis. These retail at £20 which is a little steep but worth every penny. I received a free deluxe-sized, black Marc Jacobs Highliner from Sephora for my birthday gift last year and using these has reminded me to dig the black one out of my collection as I've been loving using eyeliner on my lower lash line recently.

Will you be buying these?

* I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I love highlighters but don't own as many as I would like to as I am so fussy about the colour, finish and texture of them. I opt for warm tones as these best complement my skin tone. I'm not a fan of chunky glitter in highlighters and prefer them to be finely milled and to look as natural(!) as possible. I love highlighters that merge with my skin and complement my blusher. Sometimes this isn't an easy feat with powder highlighters and so I've recently started venturing in to liquid highlighters to get a smooth glow.

I was excited to try out these new liquid highlighters from Makeup Revolution as they are a great dupe for some of the high-end liquid highlighters but at a fifth of the price! These retail at £6 which is an absolute bargain as you get 18ml of product and a little goes a long way! I bought mine online from Superdrug as I couldn't find them in my local Superdrug store.

The packaging looks really high end and I love how the colour of the bottle is the same colour as the highlighter so you can easily find the right colour.

The highlighter is housed in a glass bottle with a dropper/pipette which not only looks pretty on your vanity but also means you can control how much product you dispense.

There are 7 shades in total - Starlight (silver), Champagne, Luminous Gold (a bright gold), Lustre Gold (coppery gold), Rose Gold, Bronze Gold and Unicorn Elixir (cool toned blue/purple).

I opted for the shades Champagne and Rose Gold as I thought these would be super-wearable and suit my skin tone.

The highlighter is a thicker consistency than I expected which isn't a bad thing as this makes it easier to work with.

The colours are beautiful and once blended look so pretty on the skin. I hadn't realised Champagne was slightly more cool-toned than I would like - it reminds me of MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle.

Rose Gold is stunning and I know it will look great with most of my blushes as they are all warm tones of pink, peach and coral. I will definitely be packing this for my holiday!

The best way to apply these is to pat them in to the skin with the fingers. The warmth of the fingers will mean these will melt in nicely with your base make up for the most natural glow.

I used the Rose Gold shade the other day but completely forgot to take a photo! This is definitely my favourite of the two.

These can be set with a powder highlighter for a more intense look but look equally as pretty on their own.

You could definitely mix a couple of drops of these in with your foundation for a glowing complexion - I would definitely try this out with the Champagne shade. These could also be used on the eyelid instead of a cream eyeshadow.

I think these are fab for the price and since you only need to use a few drops, would last for ages. These are definitely on par with some of the high end liquid highlighters.

If you're a fan of highlighters - you need to try these beauties!

P x

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation in B50

My holy grail foundation. I bought the original Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation back in 2012 for my wedding events as I loved the finish so much. Glowy and still looks like skin with light to medium coverage. YSL reformulated this last year to provide more coverage. I must say, I loved the original more but the new formula means I just use a little less. The shades seem to have changed so whilst I was B50 in the original formula, the new formula B50 is perhaps a shade or half a shade darker than my skin tone but works for me in the summer months when I'm slightly more tanned. I will always keep purchasing this! On a side note - it smells like watermelon!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in 53 - Light Beige

I have been using this foundation for years on a daily basis because it looks so natural on the skin and is a PERFECT match for my skin tone. It feels so light on the skin and you really cannot even tell I'm wearing foundation when I am wearing this. It's a satin finish so my skin looks glowy and luminous. I love the scent of berries, too!

MAC Studio Face and Body Foundation in C3

I never understood the hype around this foundation until I tried it. It has such a strange, almost watery consistency but stays put all day. It is a satin finish which is great for the dewy look but perhaps not great in the summer months as it can make my skin look oily. I set this with my favourite MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Plus and my skin looks flawless. I love that this foundation can be layered for a more full coverage look too. I find using my BeautyBlender to apply this means a lot of the product is soaked up by the sponge therefore I prefer using a dense buffing brush for the best finish.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Golden Beige

Initially I wasn't interested in purchasing this foundation as I felt it was too gimmicky, however, I visited the Too Faced stand in Debenhams and had a little play around with some of the make up and loved the finish of this. I don't own any full coverage foundations apart from MAC's Studio Fix foundation which I find is too heavy for my skin, however, was blown away by how natural this looked on the skin despite being medium to full coverage. It really is almost undetectable. One pump is more than enough for brilliant, medium coverage which looks amazing in photographs and really does blur any imperfections. A new firm favourite!

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Sante Fe

I had a love hate relationship with this foundation at first. Mainly because I felt it clinged to dry patches on my face and I couldn't get the finish I wanted. However, using a moisturising primer underneath along with applying this with a damp BeautyBlender means this goes on like a dream. It's amazing how lightweight it feels but the coverage is completely buildable. I would say it is an almost matte finish but somehow makes the skin look radiant, hence the "sheer glow." I use the shade Sante Fe which is a little too light for me in the summer months but nothing that a bit of bronzer cannot sort. I find it slightly annoying that I had to purchase a pump separately for this foundation but it does not take away from the fact that this looks amazing on the skin!

Spot any of your favourites?

P x

Back in June, Urban Decay had an early pre-sale for the palette before the general release towards the end of July. I was lucky enough to grab one of the 5,000 palettes available in the pre-sale and was so excited try out the colours in this palette since none of the palettes in my collection have the warm, red tones found in the Naked Heat Palette.

The packaging is one of my favourites from the Naked palettes I own. The palette comes housed in a matchstick-style box where the bottom can be slid out. Once the palette is removed from the box, there are 12 matchsticks symbolising the colours getting warmer/hotter from left to right in the palette. I love this little detail!

The palette itself is made from a sturdy plastic and has a magnetic closure which makes opening and closing the palette easier. The warm colours of the packaging complement the tones found in the palette.

Like all the Naked palettes, the palette features 12 colours and features a double-ended eyeshadow brush. The colours range from a pale, highlighter pink called Ounce to a dark, plummy bronze colour called Ember. The colours are stunning and so different compared to the other Naked palettes. I love the terracotta hues and the selection of warm browns and deep plum colours to use as transition colours and to darken the outer eye area.

Ounce is a great eyebrow and inner corner highlighter with a satin finish. Lumbre, Dirty Talk, Scorched and Ember are shimmer shades to be used all over the lid. The shimmer shades are all creamy and apply well over a primed eyelid. I found the matte shades to be slightly powdery (as often is the case with matte shadows) but blend together really well and complement each other when building depth in the crease and outer eye area.

L-R: Ounce, Chaser, Sauced, Low Blow, Lumbre, He Devil

Chaser is a great nude, matte pink that looks really natural on the eyelid as an all-over wash of colour. This can be used along with warm browns such as Sauced and Low Blow for a natural, daytime look.

Lumbre is a gorgeous rose gold shimmer shade that looks amazing either on its own or with the deeper matte colours to create a soft, smokey eye.

L-R: Dirty Talk, Scorched, Cayenne, En Fuego, Ashes, Ember

I found Dirty Talk and Scorched to be very similar, with the only noticeable difference for me being that Dirty Talk leans slightly warmer than Scorched. I love Cayenne and En Fuego to smoke out the outer edge of the eye.

My favourite colours overall from this palette are Lumbre, Cayenne, En Fuego and Ember.

I'm looking forward to using Dirty Talk and Scorched as these are definitely out of my comfort zone but are so pretty.

This palette will be great for the autumn months paired with a mauve or nude lip. The colours in the palette have been compared to those in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette, however, I feel the colours in the ABH palette are not as warm and lean more pink whereas the colours in the Naked Heat palette definitely lean more red.

I do wish there was a gold/bronze colour included in this palette as that would make it a little more versatile, however, I guess this just makes the palette a little more unique.

Overall, I love this palette and cannot wait to create more looks with it. I will be uploading a MOTD using this palette soon. 😇

Will you be buying this?

P x

Last month, Charlotte Tilbury launched her new line of liquid lipsticks. There are 10 shades of the Hollywood Lips liquid lipsticks and from the swatches I had seen online, I wanted them all!

The line consists mainly of nude shades. The shades range from Charlotte Darling, Charlotte's signature nude to Screen Siren a bright, bold red.

Charlotte describes the lipsticks as weightless and long wearing, as well as boasting anti-ageing properties and making the lips look fuller and plumper.

I love the formula of Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution lipsticks which are so comfortable to wear and never feel dry as well as having amazing pigmentation. I was excited to try her new line of liquid lipsticks to see if they too had the same moisturising properties as her lipsticks, along with opaque coverage and the same luxurious packaging.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips Matte Contour Liquid Lipstick in Too Bad I'm Bad

After seeing swatches online, I opted for the shade Too Bad I'm Bad. Charlotte describes this as a "warm rosy pink" which "glides on seamlessly like a gloss yet feels completely weightless – like lingerie for your lips!"

These lipsticks are not cheap and retail at £24 in the UK, the same price as the normal Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks. A little steep but just look at the gorgeous colour and packaging! 😍 I purchased mine from feelunique.com.

The lipstick comes in Charlotte's signature burgundy packaging with rose gold embossed wording. The lipstick comes in a sleek rose gold tube which would look amazing on any vanity and has a window showing the colour of the lipstick which I personally love as it makes finding colours in my collection easier.

The doe foot applicator has a crescent-like shape which is supposed to help sculpt and contour the lips. I found there was no need to dip the applicator in to the tube again, one applicator full of product is more than enough product for the whole lip.

Upon application, the formula feels quite thick and creamy. Once applied evenly all over the lips, the lipstick looks smooth and my lips definitely looked fuller. The pigmentation is amazing and one swipe delivers opaque coverage. The lipstick dries down to a matte finish but isn't completely transfer-proof which is a little disappointing as being a new mummy, I'm always wanting to kiss and cuddle my baby without getting lipstick all over his cheeks/face!

The colour complements my skin tone and is a perfect everyday pink for me (for reference, I am an NC25-30 in MAC). Warm undertones mean it will work with orange and pink blushers which I love in a lipstick.

The colour and pigmentation of this lipstick really stand out for me. I love that it doesn't make my lips look or feel dry and have that "cracked" look. The formula is a little disappointing in that the lipstick isn't completely transfer-proof but that is the only downside to this lipstick. There is a barely there sweet, vanilla scent to this but nothing overpowering and this fades once applied to the lips.

Overall, I love this lipstick and formula and it definitely feels moisturising on the lips which is what I love in a liquid lipstick.

Will you be buying these?

P x

My Current Favourite Drugstore/High Street Make Up

It's been a busy few weeks and therefore I've seriously slacked on the blogging front but I'm back and wanted to share my current drugstore/high street make up favourites!

I tend to invest mostly in high end make up and even that is after extensive research online and reading review upon review (I'm only human though so I'm obviously guilty of an odd impulse purchase here or there!) until I pluck up the courage to splash my cash. However, with make up brands bringing out new releases every week, it's often tempting to pick up a few bits when I pop in to Boots or Superdrug.

It's not so much that I'm a make up snob (who doesn't like a bit of luxury?) but sometimes I feel disappointed with drugstore/high street make up when the colour pay off, longevity etc. doesn't live up to my expectations. These products, however, are currently floating my boat...

Kiko Water Eyeshadow in 208

Ok, so technically this is an eyeshadow that can be used wet or dry, however, this has been raved about online as making a fabulous highlighter. I was dubious until I went in to my local Kiko and had a swatch. It is a beautiful gold highlighter (think TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer but more gold). It's pretty pigmented so I'm light handed with it but it's definitely one of the best highlighters I've ever used and at a reasonable price!

NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam

I originally had my heart set on the Nars Orgasm Illuminator, however, after researching online, found this was supposed to be a good dupe. I wasn't disappointed. Having swatched both - they are pretty much identical and at a fraction of the price, you cannot go wrong. I dab this with my fingers above my cheekbones for a fresh look. If I really want to amp it up, I go over it with powder highlight. FYI - I love pairing it with Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop.

Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream in Bittersweet

Sleek is one of my favourite drugstore/high street make up brands. The colour payoff, pigmentation and longevity of their products never fails to amaze me and at super affordable prices. The formula of these liquid lipsticks is reminiscent of Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. No dryness and opaque coverage. I would say in terms of longevity, perhaps not the longest lasting liquid lipstick but the pigmentation and formula outweigh this! A subtle rose pink that would look good with almost any make up look and suit all complexions. For a darker complexion, this could be a fabulous nude!

L'Oreal Infallible Waterproof Gel Crayon Eyeliner in Back to Black

I picked this up initially as it had the word "waterproof" on it. None of my current eyeliners are waterproof and I wanted to see how this held up through the sweaty summer days. It is an intense black with a matte finish. I love using this on my upper and lower waterline (these days there is often no time for a winged eyeliner) and also looks great on my upper lash line smudged in for a smokey look. In terms of longevity, perhaps not as great as some of my high end eyeliners but still a great eyeliner to add to any make up collection.

Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil in Dark Chocolate

I've actually used this eyebrow pencil in Hot Chocolate for years as it is a great dupe for one of my favourites - Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. However, Soap and Glory have recently changed the formula on these and the names so I picked up Dark Chocolate on my latest Boots run. They were on 3 for 2 so I made sure to stock up. At £8, it's probably not the cheapest brow pencil on the high street but it looks amazingly natural and I love that the formula isn't crazy pigmented so there is no chance of over-filling my brows. I love that there is a spoolie on the other end to brush my brows in to place.

I'm always on the look out for recommendations - which drugstore/high street make up products do you swear by?

P x

With the rising popularity of liquid lipsticks, it is easy to forget these trusty black bullets. MAC lipsticks will always remain a firm favourite of mine. The quality and finish of these are, in my opinion, the best on the market. At £16.50, they are definitely not cheap but worth every penny.

MAC lipsticks come in a variety of shades and finishes. The 7 finishes are Frost, Matte, Retro Matte, Satin, Glaze, Lustre, Amplified and Cremesheen. My favourite finishes are Matte (long-wearing, matte finish), Retro Matte (super-pigmented, super-matte finish) and Cremesheen (medium sheer coverage with a glossier finish).

It was really difficult for me to pick 10 out of my collection because I love them all but here are my top 10:

1. Relentlessly Red (Retro Matte)

My favourite bold summer lip colour. Although named red, this is a bright pink with red undertones. This suits my complexion so well and looks amazing with a simple winged eyeliner. This is always in my make up bag in the summer months.

2. Pink Pigeon (Matte)

A bright "Barbie" pink with cool undertones that would suit most skin tones. I also have the shade Candy Yum-Yum which is similar but a few shades lighter. I would say Candy Yum-Yum best suits fair/medium complexions whilst Pink Pigeon is more universally flattering. A staple pink lipstick that looks great with my Indian outfits!

3. Ruby Woo (Retro Matte)

A cult favourite - the perfect bold red lip. Suits pretty much all complexions. A true red that will never go out of fashion. I do find Ruby Woo to be quite dry (like most of the Retro Matte finish lipsticks) but with plenty of lip balm underneath can be more comfortable to wear.

4. Runway Hit (Retro Matte)

One of my favourite nude shades. A coral/orange nude that would suit fair/medium complexions. I like to mix this one with MAC Taupe lipstick for an everyday autumn/winter lipstick. My only qualm with this lipstick is that it goes on slightly patchy due to the Retro Matte finish and so tends to drag when applying. I use a thick balm underneath (Nuxe Rêve de Miel ❤️) which helps.

5. Please Me (Matte)

A rosy pink colour that would suit fair to medium complexions. This is a great everyday lip colour if, like me, you love your pink lipsticks. For medium to dark skin tones, I would suggest MAC Mehr which I also love and is a few shades darker than Please Me and more universally flattering. I like to pair Please Me with MAC's In Anticipation lip pencil.

6. Kinda Sexy (Matte)

I'm not really a nude lipstick kinda gal but this is my favourite nude shade. I love this colour as it leans more orange/peach which I love in a nude lipstick. I love that I can wear this lipstick with any eye look and it looks amazing. I pair this with MAC Boldly Bare lip pencil.

7. Crosswires (Cremesheen)

A pinky coral with warm undertones. A staple in my summer make up bag. I love the subtle shine of this lipstick which is perfect for that summer, glowy make up look. Although a Cremesheen finish, this stays put even after eating and drinking.

8. Flat Out Fabulous (Retro Matte)

This looks like a scary purple in the bullet but once on the lips, it is an amazing magenta shade that really pops. MAC have a similar shade to this in their Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour called Tailored To Tease which I also love. Because this is a Retro Matte finish, the staying power is brilliant.

9. Ravishing (Cremesheen)

A stunning, subtle pale orange colour with a slight shimmer. I love pairing this with gold/bronze eye make up to complement the slight shimmer. Another summer favourite.

10. Costa Chic (Frost)

This is my only Frost finish lipstick from MAC and I love it. It's a shimmery pink with warm undertones. This is another summer favourite that looks great with a tan. I love pairing this lipstick with Nars Orgasm blush for a super glowy look.

MAC lipsticks are so addictive and 30 bullets later, I still want more! I'm hoping MAC will bring some more shades out soon - preferably some more everyday pink/peachy "my lips but better" colours (like I don't have enough of those!)

Spot any of your favourites!?

P x