Purple

 I used to hate this colour but now it's one of my most-used. It brings out the green in my eyes and can look bold and fun with minimal effort. 

Christmas Gift Guide 2020 - Beauty

Beauty gifts are lovely, but getting the right one for the right person can be tricky. I've tracked down some of my favourites. 

• Blasta Henriet - these eye pillows are Weighted and unscented eye pillows with removable covers which you can either heat in the microwave and oven, or cool in the freezer. It's a great way to soothe tired eyes, block out unwanted light and help deepen your relaxation. It relieves tired eyes and eases migraines 
• Natasha Denona chromium eye colour - this has been on my list for a while but I can't decide between Dogbane and Dragonfly. Really fun and unusual as either a present in itself of a lovely stocking filler 

• 
  LimeLife - we have some beautiful collections available - Wizard of Eyes and Power Glow are my particular favourites. And our Riki Skinny and Colourfuls are 20% off in our Black Friday Sale as our our makeup collections. 
• Em-J company - beautiful, vegan, cruelty-free, made in the UK products. Laptop bags, makeup bags, brush rolls and makeup mats. 
• Lousie Young - I love these brushes. Made in the UK, designed by a makeup artist. 
• Pat McGrath Rose Decadence eye shadow - Pat McGrath is the queen of makeup artists and her own makeup line is stunning. This palette looks gorgeous. 

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow - LMB Cult 60 Products

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Duo Liner

 I'm a bit obsessed with eye liners, you may have noticed, and couldn't resist trying these as soon as they came out. I went for Mesmerising Maroon and Copper Charge as they are the ones most likely to suit my green eyes, and the blue and green versions have pretty much been sold out ever since! 

As with most of CT's eye makeup these are designed to flatter certain eye colours and I love a coloured liner to bring out your eye colour without looking too full-on. Also they are great for adding a bit of colour for glasses wearers and those with hooded lids. 

Flick Liner for Round Eyes

I have one round eye, one more almond shaped eye and this is the easiest way to do a flick liner without accentuating the roundness, or making eyes smaller.

NYX HD Eye Primer
LimeLife Rose Coloured Glasses & Taupe for the Best eye shadows
Daniel Sandler Eye Shadow Brush
Louise Young LY38B
LimeLife Perfect Liner
LimeLife Enduring Liner in Black
Real Techniques Brow Brush
LimeLife In Love/ With Myself enduring eyeliner 
LimeLife Perfect Mascara
LimeLife Perfect Sunscreen 
LimeLife Foundation
LimeLife Cupcake Enduring Lip Colour
Charlotte Tilbury Lost Cherry Lipstick 
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Collection Lasting Perfection 
Bdellium Concealer Brush 
LimeLife Colour Powder in 09 & 02
LimeLife Blusher in Keen 
LimeLife Perfect Glow in Gold
LimeLife Lipgloss in Pride

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/CHbeautyinsideandout/ - just send me a request and I'll add you. And don't forget to go and subscribe to my YouTube Channel

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself. If it is an affiliate link it usually means I've taken the time to find the best price available at the time of posting. 

Grown Up Glitter

The festive season is bearing down upon us and party season is nearly here. But what to do if you want to be festive just not that festive. If you have a job and/or kids that don't allow for a 3 hour glamathon or that you're just a bit too old to have a full face of glitter? Well, cheat is the answer to that.

Everything below can take as little or as long as you have and will be a lot of wow and actually not a lot of fuss.

Quick & Easy Make-up Video

Wow it's good to be back from my unintentional break! This has been my go-to make-up for the past couple of weeks. It's quick to do, looks simple and effective and seems to work in this weird early Autumn weather.

Links to all products below, if you haven't already then subscribe to my channel and come and join the Facebook group - Corinna Harrod's Beauty Inside & Out.

NYX HD Eye Base
Urban Decay Naked Palette
LimeLife Perfect Liner
MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder
LimeLife Mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Daniel Sandler Sun Glow
LimeLife Perfect Foundation
Collection Lasting Perfection
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
LimeLife Blusher in Possible
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in  Super Cindy
LimeLife Lip Gloss in Grace

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Top Summer Lipsticks

It's officially summer. Even I who am a staunch believe in the 3 month per season rule has to admit that summer is officially here. It's nearly July and it is actually hot in the UK. Now I'm always one for a bright lip but when it gets this hot I sometimes just go for as nude as possible. I also find myself reaching for the pinks rather than reds and more of a luminous than matte finish. Though I have just remembered that Lady Danger exists so I may be wearing that tomorrow.

May-June 2018 Favourites

I asked Instagram what video they wanted and they said 'favourites' so I tried to track down the products I use a lot that maybe I haven't mentioned in a favourites video. Here they are...

Products:
Lush Seanik Shampoo Bar
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Lost Cherry
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Bitch Perfect
L'Oreal Infallible Gel Liner
Daniel Sandler Sunglow from the Customisable Colour for Cheeks Set
Epoch Mud Mask
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Zoeva 110 Face Shape Brush

Reviews:
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Quick Review
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for Cheeks
Epoch Mud Mask

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Quick Review

I really like nearly everything about this lipstick. I forgot to mention how annoying I find some of their names. Why would a grown-up want to buy a lipstick called Lost Cherry? Anyway...

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick

Come and join in the conversation on Facebook at the Corinna Harrod Beauty Group - just send me a request and I'll add you.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

20 Under £20 - My Best Cheap Beauty Buys

I started this off to test myself. It started off easily and then got harder. I've kept it in the order in which these came to me. Which means sometimes you'll be able to see my train of thought. I tried to keep it varied. I could probably name twenty great black liners for under £20 but I've limited myself - you all know I love MAC Smoulder so I've tried where necessary to go for something less obvious. For certain others, like the product that is first on the list, there is no question that it deserves it's place here. It's unrivalled. I've been recommending it for a decade or so.

What are your favourites? Have I missed anything you think deserves a place? Let me know down in the comments.

2017 Favourites

Some of these were new this year, some were just new to me this year and some are old favourites that just haven't been beaten yet. I've marked the products that were released this year with a *

It's quite a long video but there was a lot to cram in. All products are listed below and any blog reviews are listed at the bottom.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year - see you in 2018!

Products:
Cowshed Grumpy Cow Shampoo
*Mane 'n Tail Conditioner
Amelia Moss Argan Oil
*Pixi x Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
*Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Pads
Origins Make a Difference + Cream
Origins GinZing Eye Cream
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10%
Skin Owl Beauty Drops PM
*NARS Sun Wash Diffused Bronzer
Bourjois Smokey Stories in Over Rose
Hourglass Ambient Light Powder
*Rosie for Autograph Eye Shadow Sticks
*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Younique Precision Lip Pencil in Popular
*Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser
Jao Brand LipJao
Eco Tools Brushes
Louise Young Eye Trio in Studio 54
Ilia Multistick
Ilia Illuminator
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner
*Pixi Correction Concentrate
Maybelline Great Lash Big
*Daniel Sandler Customisable Colour for Cheeks
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
Lord & Berry Kajal
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Bitch Perfect
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Dangerous

Reviews:
Cowshed Grumpy Cow Shampoo
*Mane 'n Tail Conditioner
Amelia Moss Argan Oil
*Pixi x Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
*Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Pads
Origins Make a Difference + Cream
Origins GinZing Eye Cream
*The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10%
Skin Owl Beauty Drops PM
*NARS Sun Wash Diffused Bronzer
Bourjois Smokey Stories in Over Rose
Hourglass Ambient Light Powder
*Rosie for Autograph Eye Shadow Sticks
*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser
Jao Brand LipJao
Eco Tools Brushes
Ilia Multistick
Ilia Illuminator
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner
*Pixi Correction Concentrate
*Daniel Sandler Customisable Colour for Cheeks
Lord & Berry Kajal

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Beauty Christmas Gift Ideas

This could be pretty endless so I've tried to keep it concise. Some of these I've tried, some I haven't, but all of them are things I would willingly give and gladly receive.

Bath Bombs - I don't know why but they always feel like a treat to me. And come on, they are fun.

Becca Glow on the Go - this on-trend rose gold kit should suit most skin tones. And it's another one that's pretty reasonably priced.

Bobbi Brown - have a lot to offer this Christmas. For those on a bigger budget the Sparkle All Night Eyes and Lips Kit is very wearable and transportable but my personal favourite is the Caviar and Rubies Eye Set.

Charlotte Tilbury - yes her products are (mostly) worth the hype. I'd chose the Bitch Perfect Lip Set (every time I wear this lipstick I get asked what it is, without fail),  I've always secretly wanted this make-up bag, I'm pushing the boundaries on whether you can actually have too many make-up brushes I love this mini kit for when I eventually travel again.

Daniel Sandler - any of the watercolour blushers would be absolutely lovely but the Customisable Colour for Cheeks is pretty special.

Laura Mercier - another gorgeous brush set this year.  The Art of Exotic Colour collection looks love too.

Lipstick Queen Transformer Trio - these are fun and really not unreasonably priced.

Lord & Berry - much underrated in my opinion. I use and love their kajal and their lipsticks and would happily receive their stylographic liner, lipstick pencils (in fire, scarlett or blush), or Twistick (in On Stage). And at the moment they are offering a free gift (that I really want) when you purchase two products or more.

Louise Young - another brand from which I would happily recommend anything and her brushes would make gorgeous stocking fillers or goodie bag stuffers.

Marc Jacobs On the Prowl Set - the Marc Jacobs eye shadows have been one of the most talked about releases of this year and the one included in this set looks incredibly wearable. The Wild One eye shadow palette is pretty incredible looking too.

Nudestix - This Matte Nude Lip and Cheek Stain is lovely, even if I'm a little over matte at the moment.

NYX - may not be high end but one of their Jumbo Eye Pencils would be a welcome addition to any stocking or goodie bag. Cashmere, Iced Mocha, French Fries and Yoghurt are all great colours.

Origins - I'm a huge Origins fan and this Holiday Gift Set looks absolutely wonderful. The Easy Slider Pre-Shave Oil would be great for the man in your life

Philip Kinglsey - the elasticiser is one of the few products I genuinely think makes a difference.

Pixi Best of Bright - yes I love the Glow Tonic but there's something more festive about this little kit and they are the perfect size for those who travel.

Don't forget to go and see my non-beauty gift ideas, and my suggestions for what to get kids aged 0-10. Still to come are presents for teens and my book suggestions.

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Urban Decay Naked Heat Look 1

Now I feel I should say that I really love using this palette with other products - it goes really well with the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette but when I review a product I think of those people who don't necessarily want a ton of palettes. What I want is to be able to do a lot of looks from barely there to really dramatic for me this palette is quite full-on even when you are trying not to be. I feel for the consumer at this price point (£39.50) I'd want a little bit more versatility.

That being said when I do wear it with other products - quite often a browner cream shadow used as a primer works well - I get lots of compliments! All products listed below as are links to any product reviews featured on this blog.

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base
Urban Decay Naked Heat
L'Oreal Perfect Slim liner
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Origins GinZing Tinted Moisturiser
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for cheeks 
Illamasqua Hollow Cream pigment
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Cover FX Loose Powder
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Mac Smoulder eye kohl
Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lip Pencil in 714
Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect Lipstick

My Reviews:
Urban Decay Naked Heat
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Daniel Sandler Customisable colour for cheeks 

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Eye Shadow Pencils Spend or Save

I love an eye shadow pencil. They make application so easy, they travel well and are often a great base for eye shadows if you need to give them a bit of oomph or longevity. You can use them as an eyes shadow or straight liner, or as a blended liner or base. They make for a great, quick and easy smokey eye too. But they not only vary wildly in quality but also in price. So I've gathered together all the ones that I've either been using for a while myself or have been recommended and have been testing them out to see how they compare. Do you really get what you pay for? Are they actually all the same?

There are so many things to take into consideration so I've tried to test take the same things into consideration for each pencil. Longevity, price, packaging, whether they are sharpen or twist up. In my opinion there is less to go wrong with a pencil that you sharpen - the product doesn't dry out and you don't get a fault with the mechanism. It is a bit of a ballache to have to sharpen. I feel I should just mention the difference in shimmery and sparkley here. For me 'shimmery' means a not matte but not noticable glittery finish, 'sparkley' means there are noticable bits of glitter of whatever size. I've included some swatches below so hopefully you'll be able to see what I mean. I've used these a lot but when testing and re-testing for this post I've worn for a couple of days on their own to see how they looked and lasted and a couple of days more as a base with a shadow over the top.

Summer Glowy Skin Day to Night video

Though I don't deliberately go for a 'look' most of the time I am aware that pregnancy often makes me look tired and spotty and so when I know I am seeing people or when I am not feeling my best I do tend to try and make my skin look as glowing as possible. To hide the fact that it's actually quite dull and lumpy at the moment.

Every time I do this make-up I get told how amazing I look and that's enough for me. I also wear it all day and just add a bit more definition and highlight if I'm going out or seeing people in the evening. For this to be as natural as possible I try to use most cream/liquid products so everything can be seamlessly blended (I then whack powders on in the evening!)

The first part of this make-up is what I do in the morning. I love the Estee Lauder EE cream as it has an SPF 30 (I'm on the hunt for a great powder SPF to top up with during the day). The second part is what I add in the evening before/during/after kids bathtime. It may look that I'm adding extra highlight or blusher on top of stuff that's already there but that's just for the purposes of this video. Imagine that 10 hours have passed...

If you haven't already then please subscribe to my channel, do leave me a comment (you'll make a pregnant woman very happy... unless it's a mean one). All products are listed below (some may be affiliate links) as are links to any reviews or videos mentioned.

Louise Young Studio 54 face of the day
The Ordinary Lactic Acid review

Louise Young Eye Trio Studio 54
Collection #YourStyleYourMood
NYX HD Eyeshadow Base
L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
Estee Lauder EE Cream
Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer
NYX Wonderstick
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushes in Rose Glow and Golden Glow
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Cover FX Illuminating Translucent Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in Dangerous
Urban Decay and Gwen Stefani Rock Steady Lip Liner
Ilia Polka Dots and Moonbeams Illuminator
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow
Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit
MAC Smoulder
Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara

Face of the Day 27th April 2017

The light's a bit off in this video - sorry about that it's the crazy English spring weather and the fact that I have to set up and film in the brief moments when I am child-free and the builders are not drilling right, next, to, my, head.

I've been loving eye shadow sticks at the moment (more on that to follow) but one that I get almost scared of using is the Colour Chameleon from Charlotte Tilbury because in my head, Bronze Garnet is incredibly orange. It's not. Every time I use it I'm reminded of what a great product this is and how annoying Tilbury is with her cleverness.

All products and reviews are linked below. If you haven't already then do go and subscribe to my channel and now you can sign-up to get a monthly email from me with everything that has been on the blog for that month.

Reviews:
Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon
Lancome Hypnose Drama
Pixi Correction concentrate 

Products:
Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon (bronzed garnet)
L'Oreal Perfect Slim Liner
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Liner
Laura Mercier Smokey Liner Brush
Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara
MAC Smoulder eye liner
Origins Make a Difference plus +
Joan Collins Ten Effects Skin Treats Spray
Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation
Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer
Pixi Correction Concentrate
Cover FX Translucent Powder
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Ilia Multistick in Tenderly
Louise Young Blusher in Coop
Daniel Sandler Radiant Glow Illuminating Powder
MAC Lip Pencil in Soar
Dior Baume Rouge in Lili
Maybelline Brow Drama
Hourglass Diffused Light Powder

Concealers

When I first started wearing make-up concealers came in a lipstick-style bullet. Chalky in texture and very limited in colour they were ok for covering a spot if you had a whopper. They were pretty pigmented and unblendable.

Now a lot of clients I work with, especially those over 35, have not kept up to date with how concealers have evolved. Often using a heavier coverage foundation and skipping the concealer altogether which makes it hard to get a natural finish. I often get asked how to get dewy skin without losing coverage and I always recommend a lighter, dewier foundation and a good concealer. They've come on a long way since the 80s/90s bullet. Now you can get the coverage you need, where you need it whilst still keeping a light coverage everywhere else.

2017 Wishlist

For a couple of years I'd start compile a new year list of products I wanted to try that year. I haven't done it for a while but whilst doing a bit of blog planning I started a shopping list of all the products I wanted to try (I buy 90% of the stuff used/reviewed on this site) and thought it may be time to reinstate the list. Most of these products are newish but all are released - it goes without saying I love trying out new products but the majority of these are products that have been around for a bit that I just haven't got my mits on yet.

Once I decided to do this list (it's separate from the massive one I have on my phone should I ever been let loose on a make-up store minus children but with loads of money!) I tried to make it as varied as possible. There are loads of lip colours I'd love to try (MAC's Chateau M for one) but I tried to make myself choose something from each category - lips, base, skincare etc. It would be incredibly easy to just sit on websites and make a never ending list of products I'm desperate to try (I have a spreadsheet..) but there was something quite nice about having to be strict with myself. What do I really want to try? So here's the list...

Red Lipstick

Lady Danger, Fire & Ice, Berry, Raven

Red lipstick is such a classic look that most make-up wearers have at least tried it even if they don't already own a few. In fact a lot of people I speak to have tried a red lip and felt that they couldn't pull it off. I can really understand this - a red lip is a bold statement, you need to feel confident to carry it off and even though it's a classic look it can be hard to wear. You need the right red which in this day and age is hard to find just for the sheer amount of choice.

What I personally love about a red lip is when it isn't a statement but just a chic everyday look - Monica in friends often wears a red lip but she's never a character I think of as being particularly make-up based. Get the rest of the make-up understated, team it with the right red and it can look incredible.