Dupes: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Vs MUA Undress Me Too Palette

I've been loving Makeup Academy (MUA) lately and I think they have some really good quality products. A product I’m loving the most is the MUA Undress Me Too palette, which is a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I couldn't resist buying the Undress Me Too palette to do a comparison with the very popular Naked 2  palette.

I decided that I would do a swatch of each similar colour next to each other on my arm so you could see the similarities. Even though some of the colours aren't an exact match, and some MUA ones aren't as pigmented, I still think its great how these two products are so similar!

I am going to swatch the Urban Decay colour on the left side and I will swatch the MUA colour on the right hand side-

Naked 2 vs. Undress Me Too: 

• Both palettes have 12 eyeshadows with a mix of shimmery golds, nudes, browns and a jet black eyeshadow.
•  Undress Me Too palette retails for £4 while the Naked palette is £36. So the MUA palette is definitely a bargain and is great for those who don't want to spend that much money on an eyeshadow palette.
• The eyeshadows in the Naked 2 Palette are slightely more pigmented, however the pigmentation in the Undress Me Too palette is suprsingly good for a “drugstore” brand and with a good eyeshadow primer the eyeshadows would be more pigmented.

I love finding bargains in the drugstore and I’m happy makeup brands release cheaper alternatives, because not everyone can afford high-end makeup. I have also heard that MUA do a dupe for the original naked palette which is called the 'Undressed Palette'. The Undress Me Too palette palette is a great dupe and I would definitely recommend it to everyone who hasn't tried the Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay but is thinking about it. 

what are your favourite eyeshadow palettes?

Katie ♥

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

Rimmel stay matte powder is probably one of the most talked about products that you can get on the highstreet. Everyone beauty blogger or vlogger that I follow or are subscribed too has spoke about this at some point. I have quite oily skin, especially in the summer so for a me a powder is a must and there isn't a day that I do my makeup and don't put powder on. I also hate the thought of my foundation or any other part of my makeup coming off or transferring onto other things or my clothes. I always think its nice to finish your makeup look off with a powder as it sets everything and keeps things where they are suppose to be. Some of you will be very lucky and and not even need to use a powder, when in fact I usually need a primer and powder. Since I've been using this I've found that I rarely have to use a primer day to day, although if I was to go on a night out I would as you always get rather hot on the dance floor!

I opted for the 'transparent' shade as this works for all skin tones and I could use it all year round whether I'm tanned or paler. It doesn't leave too much of a powdery finish and does look very natural on the skin because its so lightweight. I apply this all over my face after I have done my powder and concealer with the real techniques powder brush as it covers my whole face really quickly and its lovely and dense. I find when putting on powder you should always 'pat' instead of 'swipe' the brush as this can wipe any other makeup off your face. This powder is fragrance free so its won't clog pores or irritate the skin which is very good for such an inexpensive powder at the price off £3.99. The only downside to this product is the packaging as the lid is plastic and quite flimsy and can come off in your makeup bag, or even worse it can crack. However I Don't think that takes away the fact that this is a very good powder. If this powder is available in your shade  pick it up as I've even heard its a dupe for the MAC mineralise powders.

Have you tried this powder? What are your favourite products from Rimmel?

Katie ♥

Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask

I have heard a lot about the Lush face masks from watching you-tube videos and reading blog posts, but I am always put off buying them because I am afraid of breaking out. I always find it quite difficult to get one for oily skin that is affordable. This mask is priced at £6.25 which I think is a very reasonable price. I got chatting to one of the lovely ladies who worked in the Lush shop that I went into and I was explaining that i had very oily skin in the summer time, and she recommended this one too me.

Lush say 'Chocolate heaven for oily and teenage skin. Helps absorb excess oil and calm breakouts. Cocoa butter, linseed and cocoa powder soften with balancing peppermint, spearmint and sandalwood oils' 

Immediately I was sold as anything that will help to get rid of excess oil of my face is a winner. This has to be kept in the fridge as it keeps it fresh and is more likely to work better on the skin. It has a very thick brown formula and smells delightful. The first time I face mask I could see a difference in my skin, which is quite unusual for me as it can take me a while to get use to a product. Once I had rinsed it off my face with warm water my face didn't look at all shiny or oily and felt so smooth it really amazed me. It was quite difficult to take off and dried very hard, but I suppose all face masks are like that, and its better than them slipping down your face. You can feel quite a tightening sensation on the skin which I suppose is a toning affect which I liked.

Cupcake is honestly amazing for Oily skin and has really helps to control my oiliness throughout those hot and sweaty days. I don't always use this all over my face because I only really get oily in my t-zone. There is one downside to this product which is that it can go off after about 3-4 weeks so you have to remember to use it up, but I don't really mind too much as it wasn't overly expensive. I haven't really noticed a massive difference in my breakouts being reduced but it definitely does dry them up slightly. I love how face masks are messy and can be so much fun to put on either by yourself or even with friends.

Have you tried out this Cupcake mask? What are your favourite Lush masks?

Katie  ♥

Getting Your Feet Summer Ready

Seeing as though Summer in the UK is now here, what better time to get those feet out and give them a little pamper session. As we all know England doesn't have the best luck with the weather and we never know what its going to do. But with the sunny spells we are getting at the moment why not give our feet some care and attention so were not afraid to wear those sandals we've been keeping in our wardrobe. A lot of people neglect their feet throughout the winter time and when it comes to summer they get a bit of a shock, so here are some of my tips to get your feet and tootsies looking there best.

The first and most important thing when giving yourself a pedicure is to remove all the dead skin from the bottom of your feet, as nobody wants dry and hard soles. Removing the dead skin makes your feet feel so much softer and lighter and its so easy to do. I use a foot file which come in all shapes and sizes and are available in places like Boots and Superdrug for very affordable prices.

The next thing I like to do is exfoliate the feet. I like to do this after I have used the foot file as the exfoliater will remove any last flakes of dead skin and leave them feeling silky smooth. Any exfoliater will do the job but the one I'm loving at the minute is the Soap and Glory Scrub of Your Life. This is great for giving your feet a good old scrub. It has little pink beads in it which help to really get in there and they also leave the feet smelling nice.

After I have exfoliated my feet I will wash the excess product off in the bath under some warm water. Then it is time to moisturise those feet. One of my favourite all round moisturisers in the Soap and Glory Righteous Butter which is a lovely thick one and perfect for the whole body. But for something just for the feet I've been using the Soap and Glory Heel Genius foot cream. This is a much thicker cream made ideally for the feet only. I like to gently massage this into the soles of my feet and my heels then slip some socks on and let it do its magic overnight. Keeping the socks on overnight will help to lock in the moisture.

Once your feet are all smooth and soft its time to give your toe nails and cuticles a bit of work. Its important to keep your toenails straight at the top to avoid in-growing nails as that can be very painful. You should always look after your cuticles as it keeps them looking neat and tidy and not overgrown. These are some tools that will help take care of them.

Then its time to paint those toes! My favourite colours to paint my nails in summer are definitely pastel shades as I think they look great with a tan. I always try and give bright colours a go but I cant be parted from my pastels. One of my favourite colour combinations at the moment is the Models Own Hyper Gel nail polish in Pink veneer which is a beautiful baby pink. I also like to add a bit of glitter every now and again and one of my favourites is the Barry M Rose Quartz Glitter which is a polish full of biggish chunks of silver and pink glitter and it shines in the sun. Also carrying on with Barry M I like to use their Basecoat, Topcoat and nail hardener all in one as I can be quite lazy when it comes to those steps so this one does it all for me!

We shouldn't be afraid to get our feet out in the summer months, sometimes they just need a little TLC.

Hope you enjoyed my blogpost

Katie ♥

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

The Lush Lip Scrubs have always caught my eye whenever I've been into Lush but for some reason it took me ages to buy one. It seems silly because I do suffer from dry lips quite a lot and I'm always on the hunt for new lip products to change that.

The main aim of this lip scrub is to leave the lips feeling incredibly moisturised and smooth by removing all the dead skin and flakiness. This product reminds me very much of the 'toothbrush trick' where you apply sugar to the lips then get an old toothbrush and brush the lips and this is suppose to work a treat. I did try this a couple of times but soon realising that it didn't really make a difference and did also make the lips a tad sore. The product is very very sugary and can be quite crumbly, but once applied and then removed from the lips it makes them look so healthy and plump.

The Lip Scrub is make from caster sugar to act as a gentle scrub and jojoba oil to help moisturise your lips without leaving them greasy. The scrub smells absolutely amazing, it smells like a mixture of candy floss, fizzy bubblegum bottles and the snow fairy shower gel (delicious). It also tastes amazing, I could literally sit and eat the whole tub, its totally edible, as it is basically just sugar in a pot. All you have to do is apply as little or as much as you want and rub into your lips until your lips feel soft, then just lick off the excess. I originally thought it would just be like any other lip balm, but it makes a great base for any lip product.

The only downsides to this product is that its not very good for on the go if you don't have a mirror. Sometimes it can look like you've just eaten a ton of sugary doughnuts and left the remains on your lips and around your mouth. Also, the price could be debatable. This product is £5.50 which personally I think is a little overpriced for whats just caster sugar and oil, but I know I won't waste any of the product as its just too yummy to leave.

I do honestly really love this lip scrub, I think its very addictive and I always find myself wanting to take more and more out of the pot. If you love pink, love bubblegum and anything sugary definitely pick this up next time you're in your local Lush shop.

Have you tried any of these Lip Scrubs, which are your favourites?

Katie  ♥

Topshop Cream Blush

Topshop cream blushes have been around for a long time now, but I never use to be much of a blusher wearer so I decided to invest in some. I had heard a lot of hype about the Topshop makeup range and the blushers were some of the first makeup they brought out. I have had this blusher for a while now but never really had the hang of it. Because this was my first cream blush I was a bit confused as to how to apply it without getting a blotch stuck to my face then being unable to blend it, or what brush to use. But since then I have tried other blushes and I find that creams are are definitely appearing in my makeup bag a lot more.

Neon Rose Blush - £6

I am a really big fan of the Topshop's makeup packaging as its cute and simple with the plain white colour all over and then the black polka dots. But one of the downsides to this product is in fact the packaging, it gets so grubby so easily and as much as you think 'I will not get it dirty' you do, and its impossible to keep clean. It is very similar to Nars packaging in the way that it gets so dirty so easily. With that aside it does a great job of holding in the product and also has a handy mirror covering the whole inside of the lid.

Neon Rose is a bright coral shade with yellow undertones making it pretty much suitable for all skin types, although darker skin tones but have to build up the colour more. In the pan the colour looks quite scary and at first I thought I would look ridiculous, but once on the skin and blended out it sheers out and gives a natural flush to the cheeks. One other interesting thing about the blushes are that they go from a cream to setting as a powder when on the skin, but doesn't look matte.

These blushes are very soft but not greasy feeling and never feel like they will melt off your skin. The colour pay off is very strong so the 'less is more' approach would be best and is it difficult to remove when set on the skin.

There are many ways that you can apply cream blushers but I like to use my fingers or a Real Techniques buffing brush if I want a bit more precision. It's great for on the go because of the handy mirror, if i was in this situation I would use my fingers. They build and dry to a dewy finish, certainly not matte or wet looking. I have Oily skin (especially in the summer time) and I find that by the end of the day I can still see the colour on my skin and they still appear fresh looking. I definitely want to try out some more of the Topshop makeup range, the Topshop glow highlighters, also in cream form look incredible!

Katie  ♥

Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit

Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit - £3.99

Whenever I'm in Boots or Superdrug I always find myself walking over to the 'Collection' counter to pick up my all time favourite, the famous 'lasting perfection 16 hour wear concealer'. But as well as that, I had a little look at some of the other makeup products as I always seem to give them a miss. As a huge eyebrow lover, I'm always on the look out for new eyebrow products to test out, whether that being eyebrow pencils or kits. I usually use the Mac Charcoal Brown eyeshadow on my eyebrows every single day but you know when you fancy a change and want to see what else is on offer. So I decided to pick the eyebrow kit up considering it was only £3.99 (bargain) and a lot cheaper than any other brow sets. 

I originally though that the three colours in the pan wouldn't suit me very well so I checked to see if they did a kit with different shades, but I believe they only do one to suit everyone so I picked it up anyways. 

The palette itself is a really nice concept, everything is all so compact and easy to take around with you. You've got the 3 shades, a little angled brush and a brow setting gel. The 3 shades in the kit are all powders. There is a really dark, deep, muddy brown/black shade, a taupe brown and a really light cream coloured powder. I've found that I like to use the middle shade as its the most similar to my natural brow, but then use the lightest shade slightly at the front to make it look more natural. I originally thought that I would be wasting the other colours but they are all beautiful eyeshadows and create a lovely smokey eye. I've also used the black shade as an eyeliner using the angled brush. 

The pigmentation of the powders is great on the eyebrows, but I found that when swatching the shades I had to build the colour up. Also one thing that made me want to buy this product is the little tube of clear mascara which comes with the set. This is great because you don't need to go out and by one separately. I found that the consistency of the mascara wasn't too wet or sticky and didn't leave my eyebrows feeling crispy. 

The last two items in the kit are a handy mirror which in encased in the packaging, and a double ended eyebrow brush, one end is angled and the other is flat. I rarely use brushes that come with kits as they are either not very good, or are too small and fiddly. I thought i would give this brush a go because its much easier to be able to keep the brush inside the palette so you will never loose it. 

It takes time to get use a new product when you are use to using something else for such a long time, But its nice to test out something new from time to time. I would definitely have a look at this little kit next time your in your local boots or Superdrug if your on a budget. If your'e new to eyebrows and dont really have much experience, I wouldn't spend around £20 on a HD brows kit for example, as you might not like it and it could go to waste. Collection is one of my favourite makeup brands and I have a few holy grail products from here. 

What are your favourite Collection products? 

Katie  ♥

A Day Out With Joely

As soon as it gets warm here in England everybody strips off into there bikinis to get all the sun we can before it disappears again. Instead of doing just that, me and my best friend Joely decided to make our day productive and go on a little adventure to a little icecream parlour and for a stroll in the sunshine. Here are some pictures from our day. 

You can't go to an icecream parlour and not get icecream, Joely got the traditional vanilla and I went for the bubblegum as I am obsessed. 

We then decided to have some fun in the 'under 12's play area' and attempt to sit on the toys for 'under 5's only'.

Can't forget the seesaw and swings...

Having too much fun, just look at that smile!

Off to the castle 

By this point we were boiling hot and desperately needed to find a river cool down in, so we drove to a local river so we could have a paddle. 

This cute little cottage always catches my eye whenever I walk past it so I had to stop and take a photo. 

We had a lovely day in the sun which makes a change to sitting inside while the weathers miserable as we do live in England so that is very likely to happen most days. But I'd like to think that we will get more days like this one. 

Katie ♥