High-end haul!

Hey guys! Two posts in one week, I am on top of this snazz! Joking, basically I'm a week behind on my little plan and my OCD is screaming at me, so I thought I would work on another post and post it today to catch up! Today I thought I would fill you in on all the higher-end make-up purchases I have made recently, mostly so I can take the photos and start playing a bit more with all of it! So if you're interested, carry on reading :)

Mac Prep + Prime Fix+

So I've been without this spray for quite a while, and I finally made the decision to re-purchase when I came across a pro-store in Amsterdam. This works really well as a primer, but also as a kind of refresher for your face when you've finished your make-up and want to avoid the cakey look. It's also really good for spraying your beauty blender or make-up brushes with before you apply anything on them, especially with loose eyeshadow or pigment as it makes everything stick to the brush., hence stick to your face/eyes. There has been a lot of discussion about what this product is actually for, and if you're thinking about getting this to set your make up in place, don't do it. IT IS NOT A SETTING SPRAY. A lot of reviews say that for a setting spray it's too loose and wet, and that's because the purpose of this is not to set your make-up, but to kind of refresh it and finish it off. I have gone through 2 bottles of this and am now starting my third, and honestly I can't recommend anything better, so if you're still on the verge of buying it and you're unsure, tip over the edge and go for it!

Mac Studio Fix Fluid foundation (NW13)

This is my holy grail foundation. The coverage is amazing, definitely build-able, stays in place ALL day long, doesn't make your skin break-out, it basically ticks all the boxes that you want ticked when buying a foundation. For £22 you really cannot ask for anything better with a high-end foundation. They have a pretty good variety of shades, and I would say this is really good if you're wanting to get into make-up but you're unsure of what foundation to go for without spending bare £££s. The only thing I would advise when purchasing it is to do so at a counter rather than online. I've tried NW15, which is only a shade darker than the 13, and I looked like a satsuma...I have never blended so much in my life, I felt like my life depended on me blending that stuff into my forehead.

ABH Modern Renaissance palette

I have been eyeing this up ever since it first came out. It is GORGEOUS!!! I've had it for a while and I was avoiding using it a lot because I wanted to do this post first, but I am so excited to play around with this a bit more! So far from when I used it I can tell you the quality is AMAZING! The shades are so pigmented, they blend like a dream and there is such a variety of looks you can create with this! After finally deciding to bite the bullet and get it I found out Beauty Bay is out of stock completely, and I was gutted. However, my boyfriend had my back and surprised me with it the next day, and it turns out he got it from Cult Beauty. I'm not sure whether they still have it now, but I would double check if I were you! Seriously, if you still haven't got your hands on this and you're tempted to, 12/10 recommend, this palette is definitely worth the money! As always, Anastasia does not disappoint, all hail the brow and eyeshadow queen!

MAC pigment in Tan

After wanting to try out pigments for ages, I finally budged in a pro-store in London last week and got this little glittery beauty. It's definitely smaller that I expected, however the product is amazing! Tan is a nice, copper/gold colour, and the pigment on it is amazing! Brightens up every look, and I can't wait to actually wear this on a night out! I think I will definitely be purchasing more of these in the near future.

HUDA beauty lip contour in Famous

This came as a surprise along with the ABH palette, and I was so excited because I have heard great things about these! It's basically a lip pencil that you use to line and fill your lips in with, and Famous is a gorgeous, dark plum shade. This lip pencil is very creamy, texture wise I would compare it to the ones you get with Kylie lipkits. Easily blended, easily applied, however a word of warning - this will NOT budge for a million pounds. Literally, it stayed on my lips even after I attempted to remove it with a make-up wipe, and the swatch on my hand lasted even through a shower and the whole of the following day too. Long lasting product? 100% YES!

lip pencil in Chestnut

MAC lip pencils in Chestnut and Stone

Stone I purchased in Amsterdam, as it is only available in pro-stores, and luckily they had their last couple. I purchased it mostly to wear with the lipstick, as it's such a unique colour that no other lip liner will go with this lipstick as well as Stone. Chestnut is one that I've had my eyes on for a while, and I purchased it in place of another lip liner for a product (it's a secret, keep your eyes peeled for future posts involving this dreamy lip combo). Personally I really like MAC lip pencils - the variety of shades is great, they apply and blend well, they last a long time and they definitely improve the quality and look of your lipstick. Definitely keep an eye out for these.

MAC lipsticks in Stone and Painted Sunset

Stone lip pencil and lipstick

Stone is the DREAM lip combo - the lipstick and lip liner together are something I wore EVERY SINGLE DAY, religiously, for 2 weeks straight. It's a very pretty, washed-out brown/ash grey colour. Definitely something that takes you heaps out of your comfort zone, so I wouldn't recommend this combo if you're not prepared to have heads turning and girls asking what you're wearing on your lips. It's a matte finish, which can be very ugly if left to fend for itself. What I do is I apply a lip balm or a moisturiser of some sort on my lips, leave it to dry for a few minutes, then apply the lip liner and line and fill my lips in with it, and then top it off with the lipstick itself. I find that applying the liner all over your lips first improves the overall look and definitely makes the lipstick more long lasting and less likely to either crease or settle into your fine lines.

Painted Sunset is a part of a limited collection, and I believe it's called Vibe Tribe. It's an Amplified Creme finish, which makes the colour appear brighter than for example a matte or a satin. It's the most amazing burnt orange/rustic red colour, and I genuinely think it would suit any skin tone. It's just gorgeous. I know that there has been quite an uproar about the whole collection and its advertisement, but this lipstick is amazing, and the whole collection is stunning. I have two items from this collection, and the other one you can read about here. The whole collection is stunning and very thought-through as everything in it would suit all skin tones. If you can still get your hands on any of it, I would highly recommend that you do.

That's everything from my high-end make-up haul, I hope you enjoyed it! As always, thank you for reading, and make sure to let me know if you're going to pick up any of these products. See you next week Friday at 4pm!

iwi x