My Perfect Palette

Back in November I finally filled up my MAC 15 pan palette, and I remember looking at the completed product feeling underwhelmed. Yes all these colours are beautiful, but practical? Hell no. What was I thinking with the iridescent blue and so. much. shimmer?! So I decided I was a girl on a mission and went on a quest to buy myself a travel-friendly, every-day-use 4 pan palette. Probably naughty and it definitely wasn't good on my bank balance, but it was justified. Sort of. 

I spent about an hour at the MAC counter watching every single wearable nude I could get my hands on. I figured I would go for 3 mattes and 1 shimmer, so I could do all sorts of versatile looks with what was going to be the best palette in the world world (of course). So without further ado, the shades I so carefully picked out:

All That Glitters: This was the easiest shade to pick because I already knew I wanted it before I'd even reached the counter, it's raved about in the beauty community. I was after a shimmer that wasn't too in your face, I wanted a nude colour that was wearable. All That Glitters was an all-in-one! It's a champagne colour with peachy undertones, and don't let the name fool you, it has no chunks of glitters in it at all. It just adds a gorgeous iridescent sheen to your lids.

Malt: I never realised how many matte nudes MAC carries until I had to pick out this shade. There's not much to say about this shade; I wanted a nude base colour for my eyeshadow looks and this is the one that jumped out at me. It's a very light pink toned beige, perfect for just sweeping over the lids for a minimal makeup look, or for using as a base colour for more elaborate looks (not that I do elaborate looks, but it's the thought that counts, right?)

Blackberry: I wasn't intending on adding a non-neutral to this palette but I swatched this and fell in love. I would describe it as a muted purple, it adds something different to your look without being an in-your-face 'oh my god so much colour' sort of shade. You get me? Blackberry is also one of the most buildable MAC shades I have ever used. It can go from a sheer wash of colour to totally solid in 3 layers but never patchy. That's the dream!

Embark: Can't do a MAC palette without a matte dark brown, right? There's SO many to choose from, but after much deliberation and advice sought from the MAC makeup artists, I settled on Embark. I chose this shade because of the pigmentation - the picture above? One quick swatch. I love to stick a dark matte shade on the outer 'V' of my eye and blend blend blend, and Embark is simply the best for that. Another reason I chose this is because it's purple undertoned, which looks so beautiful in conjunction with Blackberry. I have grey eyes and purple seems to compliment them wonderfully.

What shades would be in your palette?

Georgia 

xxx

The Spring Lip Adventure

(145 - Impassioned - Vegas Volt - Tease)

It's no secret that I am a fan of a dark lip. I never feel more 'me' than when I'm wearing a purple or a deep wine red, think MAC 'Diva'. On a daily basis I settle for the low maintenance nudes, but dark lips are my jam.

So when I was having a browse through my lipstick collection the other day, I noticed I have a lot of shades which have been practically untouched other than the occasional swatch, where I pick them up, think 'I really should wear this', get scared and gently place them back where they came from. Of course I'm talking about the brights. I've always disliked how they look on me for some reason, but when I posted my Updated MAC Lipstick Collection video last month, I was shocked to see in the comments that everyone was commenting on how good the brighter shades looked on me. Therefore, I have decided to crawl out of my lovely and comfortable dark lip rut into the much less comfortable world of bright lips. This spring you WILL see me rocking these brights.

Let's start with the least intimidating of the lot: Revlon Colourburst Lacquer Balm in 'Tease'. I would describe this as a muted orangey-red shade, and the perfect transition into colour for me. The glossy finish means it's less in-your-face and lower maintenance, but it still has enough pigment to make my lips pop. Plus it smells and tastes like mint, which I love.

For the first of my two MAC offerings, I have 'Impassioned'. This was a colour I swatched and oooohed and aaaahed at every time I passed a MAC counter, but I'm rarely feeling brave enough to wear it. I describe it as highlighter pink. It's just SO fuchsia and SO bright. But I absolutely adore it, so I reckon it's about time it makes it's way to the forefront of my collection. 

And for my second MAC lipstick, I have 'Vegas Volt'. It's definitely the typical spring shade that makes it's way onto the beauty scene at this time of year, and I remember buying it purely so I could have a spring lip colour but I got scared and quickly hid it away. I think the thing that scares me about Vegas Volt so much is that it really is super super pigmented, which many would take as a positive. It's such a beautiful shade of coral (with a hint of neon to it) and whenever I do wear it I get complimented so maybe I should take the hint and pop it on more often.

Finally, we have Barry M '145' (where's the fun name?!). This is definitely the most 'Georgia' shade of the lot but it's also a lot brighter than I'd usually go for. It's a fuchsia pink, but it definitely has a purple tone running through it. Think a pinker version of my all time favourite, MAC 'Rebel'. This is also my favourite finish of the lot, semi-matte, so I know I'll feel comfortable wearing it. In fact, I might even go crazy and wear it to work tomorrow. We'll see.

What lipstick shades terrify you? Let me know in the comments!

Georgia
xxx

The Instagram Introduction

Out of all the social media that we have access to, I think Instagram is the format in which you get the truest picture (no pun intended) of someone's life. The things that people stop and take a moment out of their life to capture in a photo must be the things that interest them the most, or the things that they love. 

So naturally I figured the best way to introduce myself to my blog readers is through taking a sneak peek at my Instagram (@georgiamarie_x *hint hint*).

 

It's no secret that New York City is my favourite place in the world. I visited for the first time last June and the moment I stepped out of that yellow taxi, I fell in love. I couldn't tell you exactly what it is about New York that I love, because it's everything. I love how fast paced it is, but it's also so tranquil. I love how everything you need is at your fingertips, how you can get so lost in the city but you'll never be lost, I love how it feels like I'm walking through a movie set. I cannot wait to live there one day.

My second love in life is musical theatre. I love nothing more than getting lost in a show, or discovering a new sound track and just falling in love with everything about it. I've seen a lot of shows, and my list of shows to see grows by the day, but my two absolute favourites are Wicked (I've seen it 6 times, oops) and If/Then. Special shoutout to If/Then because it's so ignored in the musical theatre world but it has the best soundtrack I've ever heard and Idina Menzel, hello?!

I love living so close to London. It's close enough that I can jump on a train and be in central in half an hour, but far enough away that it's still a treat every time I visit. There's nothing I love more in the Summer than wandering down Embankment soaking up the sunshine.

This is one of my favourite photos on my Instagram. I found this card whilst I was browsing cute little shops in Windsor and snapped a photo. I think the message is obvious; I can't wait to travel the world and see what adventures I can find.

 

                                                    

Shay Mitchell features on my Instagram like a lot. She is my ultimate crush - that face and that body and that style. Ugh. Love me back.

And finally, I couldn't possibly do an Instagram post without mentioning my favourite, and most Instagram-able, hobby. Watching TV series. (Yes it totally counts as a hobby okay leave me alone). I didn't actually realise how many shows I watched, and how many times I've Instagrammed this style of photo, until just now. The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, The L Word, Orphan Black, Gossip Girl, The Originals, Glee, Orange is the New Black: just to name a few of my favourites. 

I've only got one episode of Orphan Black left until I'm all caught up (sob), so please recommend me some more TV series to watch! Would anyone be interesting in seeing a whole blog post just about my favourite TV shows? 

Georgia 

xxx

YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush

I figured I would kick off this blogging thing with a good old fashioned makeup review, and what better to start with than my new favourite lip product ever (well maybe sort of favourite ever ...top lip products post anyone?). The YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush was one of those products that I would pick up every time I walked past a YSL counter. I would oooh and aaah at the pretty packaging, the beautifully velvet formula and the perfectly shaped doe-foot applicator, then remember the price, put it down and walk away. Until one day I had a House of Fraser voucher and finally took the plunge.

It really didn't take me long to decide on a shade; I was immediately drawn to shade 10 'Nude Insolent', a beautiful rosy shade with a brown undertone. So very me. There are 13 different shades so  I'm sure there's a shade in the range for everyone. The 'unique selling point' of this product is that it is formulated for lip AND cheek use, so I made sure I chose a shade that would be suitable for both.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of this on my cheeks but I don't think I'm the best judge for this - cream cheek products just aren't my thing as I find them difficult to blend on my acne-ridden skin. Also, I'm not entirely sure I want my cheek and lip colour to match. On my lips, however, this is a dream. It's a beautiful velvet texture which makes it super easy to apply, it feels comfortable and weightless on the lips and as it fades it doesn't do that weird lip product thing where it bunches up in the corners of my lips. That can't just be me it happens to, right? The finish of this is not quite matte, definitely not glossy, I would say it's definitely a satin finish.

The only negative I can think of for the Kiss & Blush is that it does fade - it's definitely not the most long wearing of products but as this is such a natural shade it doesn't bother too much. I just reapply every few hours by quickly swiping the applicator over my lips and then tapping it in with my fingers for the most natural finish. Quick, easy and no mirror required.

If you feel like treating yourself and have the budget (Kiss & Blush retails for £27), I would highly recommend this product. Plus, it's up there with my holy grail Tom Ford lipstick in terms of how pretty the packaging is.

Any other luxury lip products I definitely need in my life? Let me know in the comments!

Hello Blog

My entire life, all I've wanted to be is powerful, like a fairytale. Think Blair Waldorf, Santana Lopez, Katherine Pierce. And for the past few years I've been living in this bubble where 'one day' something was going to happen and my life was going to become extraordinary, like it was destined. But of course, that hasn't happened and I'm stuck in a 9-5 office job. Sleep, work and repeat. 

So I've decided to make my life extraordinary. Still not exactly sure on the details, but this blog is intended to help make it happen. Not in a 'my blog is going to make me famous' way, but in the terms that I'm going to make myself do things that I wouldn't usually do, using this blog (and hopefully readers) as a motivation. I want to travel, I want to see and do everything. I think back to 14 year old Georgia who was scared to leave her house in the fear that 'something might happen', and I want to cry. I spent my entire teenage years crippled by my anxiety, and now I'm going to make up for it. I'm not going to let anxiety, work, the fear of being judged hold me back anymore. 

Georgia 

xxx