My Autumn Makeup Look

autumn makeup look 2016

I’ve been going a bit russety around the eyes for this year’s Autumn Makeup Look. (I say this year’s look as though I do a different look every year, but as we all know, all of my “looks” tend to be a subtle variation on “natural” or “smokey eye”!) I always expect myself to be uninspired by Autumn makeup collections, preferring the shimmery bronzes and hot orange-reds of summer, but actually the warm, reddish tones and browns and beiges that Autumn kicks up year-on-year are often quite universally flattering.

I used the Chanel eye quad from the Le Rouge Collection for this look – it has the most wonderful matte, brickish red that looks great washed over brown tones. It’s sold out, but I think that a possible dupe for the reddish shade could be Pearly Copper from KIKO (a snip at £1.90 here) or the Red Ochre in the Renaissance palette from Anastasia here.

best autumn fall makeup 2016

One thing that hasn’t sold out is the delectable Eros eyeliner, also from Chanel and also from the Rouge No1 Collection; it’s a vibrant red-brown that could be so, so wrong but just looks incredibly right. If you didn’t want to wash red over the lids then a little of this, smoked into the lashline or just applied at the corners and smudged (as I do in the video below) adds more of an autumnal vibe to your face than anything else can. It’s gorgeous.

I’ve given two lip options in the video – a shimmery, gold-flecked nude and a flatter, more opaque beige-nude. I thought that the flatter option would be more popular, but a quick browse through the comments shows that the gold-flecked nude from l’Oreal’s Gold Obsession collection is the one that seems to have caught more attention…

Anyway, I could bang on all day – the best thing to do is to have a look at all of these bits and bobs in action. If you can’t see the video below then please click here. All of the products used are listed further down the page.

Products Used:

YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation Shade 40: http://tidd.ly/916134ba

Bourjois Sculpt Light Highlighter: http://bit.ly/2ftOcGq

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Alluring Rose: http://tidd.ly/3e56602a

Chanel Eye Quad from Rouge Collection, Candeur et Experience: sold out I THINK, sorry. http://tidd.ly/6d661cdf

Chanel Eye Pencil in Eros: http://tidd.ly/a240794

Armani Eyes To Kill Shade 9: http://tidd.ly/d38530fc

Clarins Supra Volume Mascara Shade 2: http://tidd.ly/fd7b53d8

Benefit Gimme Brow Shade 1: http://bit.ly/2e1EYfr

L’Oreal Nude Gold Lipstick*: http://bit.ly/2e1GMoz

MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Doe: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product…

Dior Nail Polish in Abstract: http://tidd.ly/922f4494

Maternity Dress with Leaf Print: http://www.next.co.uk/go22504s7#422091

*please note that I have been recently announced as being part of the new L’Oreal Beauty Squad, creating skincare content for the next year. Any work I do in relation to that role will be clearly marked “AD”, otherwise the inclusion of a product – as in this video – is purely editorial, unsponsored and unpaid.

 

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Drunk Elephant Trunk 3.0 Holidays Collection 2019

 Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 Holiday Christmas

Are you ready for possibly one of the most exciting Christmas gifts of 2019? If you love skincare (and who doesn’t) then the arrival of the Drunk Elephant Trunk 3.0 for the Holiday season 2019 will have you writing your letter to Santa Claus a little earlier than usual.

Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 Holiday Christmas
Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 Holiday Christmas

Now I must warn you that I don’t know the exact UK price point nor retailer as of yet but in the U.S it will launch early October online and costs $450, so hopefully that can serve as some sort of indicator. Yes admittedly it is pricey but disregarding the mini fridge, the contents alone tally up to over £500 so even going for a straight dollar to pound exchange rate, you would be saving over £150 which is pretty impressive.

Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 Holiday Christmas

So alongside the cute lilac and neon orange mini fridge, the Drunk Elephant 3.0 trunk contains:
Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum 30ml (£76)
Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream 15ml (£54)
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream 50ml (£50)
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream 30ml (£62)
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream 50ml (£57)
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum 30ml (£67)
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum 50ml (£44)
Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser 150ml (£27)
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil 30ml (£34)
Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF30 60ml (£30)

Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 Holiday Christmas

All of the above are indeed full size products which I’m guessing you would expect given the imagined retail cost. As weird as it may sound, the Drunk Elephant Trunk 3.0 is far more impressive in person; the fridge doesn’t really translate half as pretty on camera nor does the fact that the gift set pretty much contains a full skin care routine for just about all skin types, right down to a daily SPF. If I was to be hyper critical, it would have been nice to have seen an inclusion of their lip balm (Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm) and maybe the ever elusive Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial in lieu of a face mask but otherwise it is beautiful and very well thought out.
Despite being one of the more pricey beauty gifts heading our way, I do imagine the Drunk Elephant Fridge Trunk 3.0 will sell out pretty quickly.
I will update this post as soon as I have any additional information, until then you can find all the contents individually via Space.NK – link.

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Exclusive Reader Offer: Pai Echium Organic Eye Cream

pai sensitive skin care

I’m a long-term fan of Pai’s Echium Organic Eye Cream. I get terribly sore skin around my eyes after beauty shoots and I find it instantly calming and soothing – I often use it in a thicker layer as a leave-on mask during the day as well as a normal eye cream at night. If you have very sensitive or easily irritated eyes (mine seem to react badly to certain black eyeliners and kohl pencils and black shadow pigments) then this is your dream cream. It’s incredibly gentle.

Gentle, but not in a sappy and useless way; the cream is rich in powerful forms of Omega 3 & 6 to keep the delicate skin around the eyes feeling soft and looking plump and fresh. Alcohol free, sensible  packaging and a completely transparent list of ingredients, which you can find right here.

Pai are offering readers of A Model Recommends a free full-size Echium Organic Eye Cream, worth £30, with every spend of £45 and over. If I could be so bold as to make a suggestion: pick up one of the gorgeous Christmas gift sets (£20 here)…

pai organic skincare gift set

…which include travel sizes of the calming or balancing skincare routine, and then a Copaiba AHA Mask (review here, mask is £30 here) and you’ve got a full-on sensitive skin beauty set! (Or if you’re in the giving mood, a mask for yourself and a really lovely present for someone special. Whatever floats your boat.)

pai organic skincare gift set

Every order of £45 or over will receive a free eye cream and this offer will run from now until midnight on the 9th December. The code you need to use is AMREYES. If you’d like to read my original eye cream review (I think it was about three years ago now) then you can find that here.

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Yankee Candle’s Cooler Little Sibling

Kringle Candle Daylights Review UK Autumn

I left the house at 6am today and not only was it positively dark outside but it was beyond chilly. If I had the energy to deeply exhale, I’m all but sure my frosty breath would have surrounded the air around me. Sure the arrival of Autumn means extra layers, gloves and walking with trepidation on the now slippery pavements but on the plus side, burning candles all day and night feels far more justified – as does going to bed that little earlier to read a book and generally eating soup. For those looking for something a little different to add both scent and ambience to their home – and without skipping a mortgage payment at that – may I recommend a brand that is seldom spoke about here in the UK? Let me share a few recent Kringle Candle purchases and finds.

Kringle Candle Daylights Review UK Autumn

So you may or may not be aware but Kringle Candle is actually owned (and created) by the son of Yankee Candle which does mean there are some similarities between the brands: familiar packaging, scent themes/families and in general the price point. The main difference is that Yankee Candle is everywhere and of course far more known and yet still lacks smaller in size candle options.

If you are anything like me you bore easily and flit between several candles a week which quickly mounts up and of course depletes your home of storage, you may be looking for something a little less cumbersome than a huge glass jar. Tealights are great and all but have you ever experienced a Kringle Candle Daylight? Compact yet mighty; around twice the size of a regular tealight candles (burning for up to 12 hours), affordable and available in a whole rainbow of colours and fragrances, that deceptively scent an entire room.

Kringle Candle Daylights Review UK Autumn

I realise upon typing this out that noting the Kringle Candle Daylights stack really well, probably doesn’t rank all that highly on the average person’s checklist but if you are tight on storage space, every little bit helps. That or I really should consider going out more…

Kringle Candle Daylights Review UK Autumn

As the weather has shifted, my Kringle Candle order was positively influenced by the cooler temperatures of Autumn. Here’s a quick break down of the scents I purchased this time around:

Apple Cider Donut – sweet yet savoury with a strong note of cinnamon. Very reminiscent of a few Bath and Body Works fragrances (think Leaves et al). Easily my favourite of the bunch.

Oak & Fig – clean, fresh and fruity. Reminds me of Diptyque Figulier. If you enjoy fig bases scents this one is for you.

Comfy Sweater – one for those who gravitate towards “fabric softener” type fragrances, not my personal favourite.

Cozy Cabin – Smoky yet sweet, if you like toasted marshmallow notes, this is the one to stock up on.

Lumberjack – such an odd scent; half floral, half musky. Pleasant enough but peculiar all the same.

Touch of Autumn – A Cinnamon led, spice heavy, warming fragrant. Perfect for this time of the year.

Kringle Candle Daylights Review UK Autumn

I have of course began narrowing down my Winter/Christmas fragrances but let’s give it a few weeks shall we?

You can find the entire range here – link.

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The Cosmetics Company Store Comes to Scotland!

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

– Sponsored Content – A few weeks ago I had the upmost pleasure in popping along to the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village for the grand opening of their latest shop – The Cosmetics Company Store. This was both a pinch me moment and a dream come true all wrapped into one pretty package; for years I have hoped for a The Cosmetics Company Store to pop up closer to home (my first experience was in Florida so not exactly economically sound) and here I was invited to the opening just a train ride away.

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review
Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

As a Glaswegian, I am pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to retail opportunities but even the bright lights of the city, can’t offer a shopping experience quite like Gretna Gateway Outlet Village let alone anything close to the beauty haven that is the Cosmetic Company Store. The good news is that the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village is fairly easily accessible by car, train or bus – I took the train down and it couldn’t have been easier, the area is sign posted so you can’t get lost and it is a 10 minute, straight walk, directly into the village. I’m easily lost and rely heavily on Google Maps so if I can do it anyone can. Here’s some extra info on how to visit with ease -link.

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review
Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

If you aren’t familiar with The Cosmetics Company Store concept then you are in for a treat, essentially it is a one-stop for all your beauty needs be that skincare, make-up, haircare, fragrance or gifts and by all your favourite, well known brands such as Estée Lauder, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Tom Ford and more. Now on paper this won’t seem all that impressive as it is on par with a department store, however unlike shops of this nature The Cosmetics Company Store offer all year round discounts (up to 30% with occasional promotional offers too) all day, all year round.

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review
Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

I’m sure most of us associate The Cosmetics Company Store with end of line beauty products and seasonal launches – which is somewhat true and handy should you run out of your favourite limited edition lipstick or blush – however it is here that you will find brand staple and core items, with said applied discount. As much as I love a glittery festive gift set, I will be visiting the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village branch of The Cosmetics Company Store to stock up on my skincare (and beauty) favourites at least twice a year. I’m not sure I can afford to pass up on such deals!

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

As wonderful as the US models of this store happen to be, I can safely say that the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, The Cosmetics Company Store is far superior and given that I’ve visited at least 5 states, I like to think my opinion counts for something. The layout of the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, The Cosmetics Company Store makes shopping a breeze; everything is organised by brand and product type, gone are the days of scrambling around in the hopes of finding a particular product. I recommend browsing each of the many stands as there truly is something for everyone and every whim. There is even a dedicated area within the store to stock up on travel sized beauty items which happen to be part of an ongoing 3 for 2 offer. It would also be an absolute injustice to not mention the wonderful staff of the store, each person I meet with was beyond kind and utterly knowledgeable (what they don’t know isn’t worth knowing), making the entire experience so much more enjoyable.

Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Review

I’m already counting down the days in which I can go back and snag a few more beauty bargains and hope you’ll visit too!

You can read more about the Gretna Gateway Outlet Village – here

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