Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette

Hi everyone! This will probably be my last post for a few weeks as I'm going to Florida on Friday, I can't actually believe it's almost here, we've had it officially booked since January but we've known we were going for about two years so the fact that we actually go in a few days feels so surreal! I'm at that point where I don't feel that excited because it doesn't feel like I'm actually going anyway as I've been waiting so long. So definitely expect some hauls when I get back as I'm planning on doing so much shopping, especially in Sephora and Bath & Body Works. So happy to be writing this post today as I've wanted this palette for so long but it kept selling out. I'd seen the Violet Voss Holy Grail palette floating around on the internet and I fell in love with it, I think it's definitely the prettiest palette I've seen in my opinion, but I missed out twice on Beauty Bay as it sold out so fast. When I checked my email and saw it was back and still in stock I actually had to buy it, I knew if I did I'd regret it so much!

I've never actually tried or even heard of Violet Voss before I'd seen this palette, I had seen the Laura Lee palette after I'd missed out on this one twice but it had a few too many bold colours in it for me which I knew I'd never use, however this one is so warm toned and pink and bronzey it's actually my ideal colours in one palette. The packaging isn't too exciting, just plain black, however it's not too big considering their is 20 eye shadows and it has a decent sized mirror.

I'm really not fussed on the plain packaging though because of how gorgeous the shades are! I feel like some of the shades make it perfect for this time of year but there is also some that would work so nice in Summer. To be honest I don't even use eye shadow that often but I feel like I will get quite a lot of use out of this because it's so pretty. You get a mixture of mattes, metals and satins and this palette is also cruelty free.

First row: Crystal, Ploof, Thanks A Latte, Transition, Hashtag

Second row: Awesome Sauce, Bestie, Toffee, Chill, How U Doin

Third row: Bat My Eyes, Cool Beans, R U Kitten Me, So Jelly, On Fleek

Fourth row: Brownie Points, Teddy Bear, Glamping, Cranberry Splash, Wine N Dine

I actually can't rate this palette enough, I'm so happy it didn't disappoint because I had such high hopes for it! The shades are so creamy and blendable and the shimmer shades are so pigmented! The mattes don't have as much pigment as the shimmers however they still are really easy to to blend and they aren't drying. The only two mattes that aren't as good as the others are from the bottom row and they are Brownie Points and Teddy bear, they definitely took a lot more work even when swatching and they were a bit patchier. They are still good though, just not great. All the metals and satins are so gorgeous though, the only one that isn't as good as the others is So Jelly, it took more work to make it show up and the colour isn't my favourite which was surprising because it looks so pretty in the pan. My favourite shade without a doubt is Cranberry Splash, I love the colour and it's really pigmented, and I also love Toffee and On Fleek as well they are definitely my other favourites.

This palette wasn't cheap at £42 from Beauty Bay however considering how good the quality is and the fact that you get 20 eye shadows it's not bad value for money at all. If you love pinks and golds like me then you need this in your life, I think it's my new favourite palette right now! I definitely think this is the only palette I'll be taking on holiday as you can do so much with it, plus I feel like this packaging is so good for travelling as it's quite secure and could take a few bumps. So glad I bought this, I was a bit on the fence because I did really want it but at the same time I was saving and had the whole "do I really need this" thing going on, but yeah I really did need it, it's amazing! Let me know in the comments if you've tried this and what you think!

The Balm Hot Mama Shadow/Blush

Hi everyone! Last week I was browsing online and saw that Feel Unique were having a sale of up to 50% so I bought a few things I've been eyeing up. Recently I did a post on Mary Lou Manizer by theBalm and how I loved it so much that I was looking for more products, I saw theBalm Hot Mama shadow/blush for sale from £15 to £12 and I thought it looked so pretty so I had to get it! I've seen a lot of posts comparing it so Nars Orgasm but I didn't get it based on that, I just don't own a blush similar to this and it seemed like my ideal colour. 

You get 7.08g of product which is such a good amount, it will last ages. It's packaging has that retro feel to it that theBalm products typically do and you get a little mirror in your compact. I actually really like the size of the packaging, when I ordered it I thought it would be a lot more bulky but I was surprised when I got it. I thought it would be more like the Benefit Box'o'Powders which I love but they just take up so much room! 

I am in love with the colour of this product! The website describes it as a pinky-peach hue with a hint of shimmer which is definitely correct. The great thing is that there isn't an over the top amount of shimmer, it is just a nice subtle hint. I think it is a really flattering colour, my blush collection seems to only consist of corals and darker pinks so I am so happy I finally invested in something a lot lighter, and I probably prefer these colours anyway so I definitely need to stock up on more!

This was a light swatch on my arm, you can see how subtle it is but I think you could build up more product if you want an intense look. I really do like this colour and I think the shimmer is just a nice healthy glow. To be honest I don't think I will be using this as an eyeshadow, only because I love it so much as a blush and I think it is a bit more on the sheer side to use as an eyeshadow but that's just my opinion! I would definitely compare the colour to rose gold, it's so girly and such a pretty colour I would definitely recommend this product if those are the colours you like.

I'm really loving theBalm so far, I saw yesterday that they have a liquid lipstick collection called Meet Matt(e) Hughes, and there is a colour in it called Committed that I am desperate for! I couldn't find them online in the UK until I checked Debenhams but the one I want is out of stock (sad face). They are £13,50 so watch this space, if that one comes back in stock I will definitely buying it and reviewing it on my blog! Let me know in the comments if you have this product and what you think!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Shadow Couture World Traveler Palette Review

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be writing a post about this product, I was scrolling through Beauty Bay the other day and saw they had the Anastasia Beverly Hills Shadow Couture World Traveler palette in stock and that it was limited edition so I had to order it straight away. I love ABH but for someone living in the UK I feel like it's such a nightmare to get your hands on, I'm still desperately hoping Beauty Bay stocks the ABH liquid lipsticks as ordering from America means possible customs charges and I can't deal with that! Anyway it came within two days and I was in love when I saw it.

I love the Gatsby style packaging and also the size of the palette, obviously it was going to be smaller as it is a travel palette but I like this anyway because I feel like big bulky palettes take up so much space and when you're already running out of room getting more of them isn't ideal! Whilst the feel of the packaging isn't the most luxurious for £23 I think it's such a bargain, I know you aren't getting as much of the eye shadow as you would in other palettes but I still think for an ABH palette it is a really good price and the quality is amazing! 

Again considering the palettes is only £23 you get a brush which I think is a really good brush compared to the standard of some that come with other palettes. I absolutely love the warm toned colours, I try to avoid cool tones at all cost I just really don't think they suit me. The mixture of colours also means you can try out so many different looks and also the mixture of matte, satin and metallic is really good. I thought I'd give a run through of the descriptions to each of the eye shadows as sometimes pictures don't do them justice.

Soft Peach - Nude Pastel peach with an ultra-matte finish

Morocco - Deep burnt orange with an ultra-matte finish

Heirloom - Pinky eggplant with a sparkle finish

Bellini - Golden peach with a satin finish

Pink Champagne - shimmery pink with a titanium finish

Chic - Taupe grey with a shimmer finish

Spoiled - Gold-flecked peach with a metallic finish

Fudge - Rich chocolate brown with an ultra-matte finish

Azure - Vibrant blue with a metallic finish

Intense Gaze - Bronzed pink with a satin finish

Metallic - Brassy gold with a metallic finish

Noir - Deep carbon black with an ultra-matte finish

My favourite shades are definitely Bellini, Spoiled and Intense Gaze they are so pretty I'm obsessed with them! The quality of this palette is amazing, the eye shadows are really creamy and I think the pigmentation is great. There are some colours that I may or may not use as they aren't really me, for example Noir, I'm just not one for black eyeshadow. Whilst the blues come across scary at first for someone who flocks to a neutral eye all the time I think they are so pretty and when you're feeling adventurous they would look so nice. Again at £23 I think this is such a good price and I would 100% recommend this as the quality is great and the colours are so pretty! Let me know in the comments what you think of this palette!