Suzie Q Reviews: Charlotte Tilbury La Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Palette

Hey Ladies,

In case you missed it I posted a video on my YouTube showing you the latest addition to my makeup hoard, the Charlotte Tilbury La Dolce Vita Palette. I wanted to do a blog post with some swatches and a little more info about the palette in case you aren't a subscriber to my channel.

First off lets talk about the packaging...stunning. Charlotte has really hit the nail on the head with this beautiful art deco inspired packaging. With a warm burgundy case and a pop of rose gold on the inside and a HUGE mirror this product looks expensive right off the bat. Please note there is no useless sponge tip applicators so you get more product for your money!

There is four shadows in this palette simply named after what they are intended to do... prime, pop, smoke and enhance. The shadows are buttery soft and can be used wet or dry and in most of Charlotte's tutorials she doesn't use too many brushes and opts for applying the glitter with her fingers. The colours are definitely wearable hence what inspired my YouTube tutorial as you can easily take this palette from day to night. If you are a matte eyeshadow fan this palette won't be for you as all four of the shadows have a shimmer to them but you could put down a matte base before hand and add one of these shadows as a pop of shimmer.

Value wise this palette is EXPENSIVE with a €50 price tag but it is so worth it. It is honestly one of very few palettes that I have used and liked every colour. Usually when it comes to eyeshadow palettes I find a few colours I like and the others go to waste. In terms of versatility as I mentioned before you can switch this up for day to night and you could easily make this palette work with any other eyeshadow palettes in your collection. You can tell this palette has been makeup by a truly talented makeup artist as all four shades perfectly harmonise with each other, no duds here.

As I received this as a Christmas gift and didn't buy it for myself, and I know €50 is a lot of money for makeup but this would make the perfect wedding day palette or a gift for a friend. What girl doesn't get excited when she sees a present from Brown Thomas, less Charlotte Tilbury. I would love in the future to pick up another palette from Charlotte Tilbury and Supermodel Body is also on the top of my want list. If I was to purchase at the CT counter in Brown Thomas I think I would make the most of my money and book myself in for a makeover which is redeemable on products, and that way you can also pick the brains of Charlotte's well trained staff!

So there you have it, the burning questions is would you spend this much on an eyeshadow palette? Let me know in the comments below!

Disappointing Products (Singular) #2

Hey Ladies,

It isn't all sunshine and roses around here and as a blogger I try out so many products. Quite often I find a dud in the mix. I think it's important to share disappointing products especially when they are from a luxury brand!

                                     

                                     

This time round we are going to be discussion MAC Liquid Eye Liner in Boot Black. Right from the get go I didn't like this product, the packaging for me is just so blah and it is quite small for the €21 price tag. I think with a liquid eye liner the applicator is the deal breaker, considering it is so hard to get the perfect smooth line the applicator should be easy to use and manageable for whatever your skill level with makeup. The applicator on this particular eyeliner is a stiff short pointed sponge that is really difficult to move over the eye and as it is quite stubby it's hard to get into the inner corner of your eye and create a thin liner.

The eyeliner itself is very liquidy and when you put it on your eyelid it can run and spread like watercolour. If you manage to complete a decent liner and want to go back in to make it darker, simply don't. It pulls on the liner you have already done and basically removes it. If you follow me on Snapchat you would have seen me use it in one of my Snaptorials and how it ruined my makeup that day. MAC claim it to be smudge resistant, I think not.

I will be bringing this Back2MAC as one of my items as I really don't think it is worth the hassle for me. I would rather stick to my KatVonD Tattoo Liner or Inglot 77! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful. Do you have any disappointing products that you have tried recently? If so, let me know in the comments below.

Suzie Q Reviews: PS Love This.. Make Up Fixing Spray

Hey Ladies,

If you have been following me on Snapchat I have been sharing new products as I get them, demos and first impressions. But I am saving the full review for the blog so you will hear it here first! Last month I picked up this setting spray in Penneys on a whim, it caught my eye on a shelf and I had just run out of my beloved MUFE Mist and Fix (review here). Costing a mere €2.50 sure why not give it a bash, I couldn't pass up a deal that good. 

 

So I have been trying it out for the past month and I have to say I really like it, the market is flooding with setting sprays at the moment as they become the new "it" beauty product and of course Penneys was on the ball. The idea behind this spray is to prolong your makeup by fixing it into place. It comes in an aerosol can which to be honest isn't the most attractive packaging and the spray nozzle is a bit crap because it doesn't spray evenly so you will need a few sprays to cover your whole face. 

The texture of the product is a bit strange and hard to explain, when you spray it onto your face it comes out like a spray but feels like you have sprayed foam or bubbles on your skin. It only takes a second or two to dry and you're good to go. One piece of advice is try not spray this onto your lips as you will taste it throughout the day and it isn't the most pleasant taste, so try avoid that.

Does it work? Yes, I have tried it out with many different variations of foundations, concealers, powders and primers and regardless of what's on my face it lasts quite well through the day. In comparison to the likes of MAC, NYX or Makeup Forever the packaging and texture are complete polar opposites but you are basically getting the same product for a fraction of the price. If you are passing your local Penneys I would pick one up just to have handy for the likes of a night out! 

Have you tried this product or something similar? Would you bother with a setting spray or just stick to a primer?

Ta Hun Sure It's Only Penney's: Lip Pencil Edition

Hey Ladies, 

I swear for the last two months I have been on the biggest lipstick binge, as if I need anymore lipsticks... honestly like a hole in the head. But I just can't help myself but thankfully my latest two faves only cost €1.50 each so it's not going to break the bank or leave me feeling guilty.

I swear Penney's is just getting better by the day, the clothes are on trend and the home ware is to die for and their latest beauty range is making headlines everywhere so naturally enough I tottered down to Penney's to see what the fuss was about. I was hearing reports that one of their lip pencils was a dupe for MAC Spice and by golly it is. Think Spice and Soar mixed but for a fraction of the price, sure you wouldn't even get a cup of tea for that much! 

Anyways, the lip liners are part of their new P.S Love range and there are a few colours but I only picked up the nude and the plum. Now if someone said Penney's brought out makeup I would have thought "you get what you pay for" and the quality would be rubbish but surprisingly enough these liners are giving MAC a run for their money, they are far more covetable than the Kylie Jenner effect on Soar earlier this year, these Penney's lip liner have been out of stock for AGES. That's saying something. 

I have been putting them to the test in terms of quality of colour and durability and so far they're doing brilliant. The quality of pigment is opaque so there's no need to have to pile a whole load on and they last quite well. Now, if you're eating you will need to reapply afterwards but so far they've held up really well. Since testing them I couldn't tell you how many compliments I have gotten. In fact preparing for this post I wore the plum shade today (how similar to MAC Rebel is this!) and so many people asked what I had on, one friend of mine actually said "I bet its MAC!" and I said no actually it's Penney's and she was shocked! 

So there you have it and just a side not my favourite thing I love about these pencils is that I can bring them on a night out or away with me and not be afraid to lose them! 

Tell me have you tried any of the Penney's makeup and what did you think?

Giambattista Valli For MAC

Hey Ladies, 

I normally don't freak out over special collections but I had a total Mean Girls moment, I saw Amber Heard wearing Giambattista Valli for MAC in Eugenie so I needed Eugenie. I stalked the MAC counter in Brown Thomas for months as the launch date kept getting pushed back but eventually I got my hands on it! Annoyingly BT's only got about 10 of each shade and by now they will most definitely sold out.....sorry. Now, this definitely isn't your typical Summer shade of lipstick but we haven't had the most typical Summer this year. It feels like we have just gone and skipped straight into Autumn/Winter. So it will be no time at all before you will be inundated with posts of "The Perfect Autumn Lip". 

The collection contained 5 lipsticks ranging from a pastel pink to a bright pink, to a coral and a classic red but I wanted the deepest and most vampy shade and did I mention it is a matte lipstick? I KNOW! The packaging is just perfection, each lipstick from the collection matches the outer packaging which makes it easy to distinguish from your regular MAC lipstick. The pigmentation is second to none which you can see in the pictures below and I am so in love with this lipstick it's ridiculous. It's not your typical red/burgundy it is almost like it has been brought as far as red can go before it turns into black. It's definitely one of a kind. 

I wanted to post this to ask your opinions on special collections. I obviously will not be able to repurchase this lipstick once it has gone (I will cherish it till then) and it got me to thinking... do you buy from special collections or would you skip it and just purchase from the permanent line? If you fall madly in love with it and only use it on "special occasions" it is kind of going to waste from the fear of wasting it...is it honestly worth the hassle? 

My Top Three Blushers For Pale Skin

Hey Ladies,

I love blush just as much of the next girl but me and blush have a very tumultuous relationship. I want naturally flushed....I get aunt Sally. I want glowy....I get oily. After a long battle I have finally found the three perfect blushes for my pale skin and I want to share them with you all (can you spot the coral trend?).

First up is Elf Tickled Pink blusher. It looks like Nars, feels like Nars but it costs only $3! I picked this up way back when I was in New York and have literally used it religiously ever since, can't you tell by how little is left. The texture of this blush is just perfection, it has great pay off and lasts all day on the skin without being too drying and or clinging to dry patches. It has the tiniest hint of shimmer that gives the skin a beautiful glow! A product I would definitely repurchase again and again.

Next up is the Face Form palette in Fair from Sleek Makeup. This trio is all you need to contour, highlight and blush your pale skin to perfection. A light hand is vital here as this palette is super pigmented and this highlighter literally gives me life (take that Mary Lou). The blush is a beautiful rose gold shade and is a good dupe for Nars Orgasm blush. Brace yourself as it does have a good bit of shimmer and you can see by the swatch above that again....a light hand is key.

"Yo ELF/Sleek I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish but MAC has the greatest blusher of all time"

Lastly my favourite blusher EVER, MAC Stereo Rose and by golly she's a thing of sheer beauty. I waited for this blush to be re-released by MAC for so long (it's limited edition) that as soon as I heard it was coming, I was the first Bridie in the queue. I gives the most beautiful flush and sheen to the skin. The powder itself is so buttery and soft it just glides on. No doubt MAC will release this again in the near future as it is so popular and if they do, I'll take 5. I'm taking this baby to the grave.

So there you have it, my top 3 blushes. I hope you found this post helpful if you are a paler girl like myself. Keep your eyes peeled this Friday as I have a new video coming....EEEP.
Until next time,

A Look Inside My Most Used Palette

Hey Ladies,

Bit of a late one for you but I really wanted to share this post with you. We all do it, we buy the latest palette on the market that EVERYONE and their granny is talking about (I'm looking at you Urban Decay) and it's not long before it sits gathering dust in a drawer and we only dig it out to use one or two shades. That is why I love my MAC palette, its customisable so I only put in colours that I like and will use. No wasted space!

As you can see many of the shadows have hit pan and these are the shadows that I have repurchased over and over again and already have backups to fill their spot once they've gone. Building a MAC palette can be expensive but I have added to mine bit by bit (30 shadows at €10 each...YIKES) starting with a single palette to then moving to a double palette and I'm already onto my next palette. I literally use this palette every single day and its the only one I bring when going on holiday.

I have listed all of the shades in the palette just in case you want to have a snoop. Lemme know in the comments what are your favourite MAC shadows? My top 5 would have to be Vanilla the perfect everyday base, Embark the perfect warm brown to deepen the crease, Woodwinked the only shadow you need when you have 5 seconds to do eyes and lastly either White Frost or Vapour as they are my go to brow/inner corner highlight!

My Everyday Essentials

Hey Ladies,

Today I thought I would share with you my everyday stash that I couldn't be without, a little treasure trove that lives on my desk right next to my trusty brushes. I was getting ready for work the other day and I realised that I have never shared with you the products that I use everyday without fail and have repurchased over and over. So it is safe to say they are firm favourites...this is why I haven't done a favourites video yet because all of the products would be the same every single month. I can literally bang out my work face in 10 minutes flat using these products or I could spend hours adding in other bits and bobs, they are the core products to every makeup look that I do.

A little more about my skin if your new around these parts. I have dry skin that is very prone to acne breakouts, my skin tone is very pale so I like to make my everyday face as natural as possible. And once I put my makeup on I want it to last because I hate touching up during the day - primers are an essential. The only thing I haven't included in this post is my eye shadows and brushes but don't worry I have separate posts coming up on them soon! Also please note that my lip colour is the only product that changes in and out regularly because I go through phases of different shades.

So dig into my stash...and let me know do you see any of your favourites? What are your everyday essentials? Want me to do a tutorial on my daily look?

I'll Be On Hoarders:Lipstick Edition

Hey Ladies,

So Marilyn famously said "diamonds are a girls best friend" but to be honest Tom Ford wasn't around in them days. Tom Ford lipsticks are a thing of sheer beauty from the stunning packaging to the creamy formulation that tastes like a vanilla cupcake minus the calories. It's the only lipstick I would re-mortgage my house to afford!

The last two weeks for me have been extremely stressful (you can see more about that on my Instagram @WhatsNewWithSuzieQ) so I thought I would treat myself to a little somethin somethin to cheer me up. Meet Indian Rose, the perfect balance between brown and pink. The ideal candidate to accompany my beloved Soar Lip Pencil by MAC. 

  

It might be expensive but it is SO worth it. Putting it on makes me feel so elegant and lady like! I have done a blog post on Tom Ford lipsticks before and like I mentioned in that this would be the perfect lipstick for a Wedding Day or special occasion. Alternatively if you want to score some major brownie points, buy this for a friend/sister/girlfriend as a present! 

Would you spend €47 on a lipstick or is that absolute madness? What is your perfect lip combo? Let me know in the comments below. 

Purple Smoke With By Terry

Hey Ladies,

For the past few weeks I have been doing the same makeup look...almost everyday. I bought the highly talked about By Terry Ombre Black Star in Misty Rock back in February and have been getting on famously ever since. At €30 its a steep spend for just an eye shadow stick but it is literally the most gorgeous thing I've ever laid my beady eyes on.

Even those who are eye shadow challenged will be able to master this beauty, simply twist it up and pop it all over the lid and either blend it out with a finger or with a blending brush. I find this fades to a soft brown shade around the edges so its not necessary to add any more shadows with it but you can if you want! Once it's on its sets so you don't have to worry about creasing, although if you do have an exceptionally oily eye lid I would recommend a primer before hand.

So I did a little tutorial using this shadow so you could see it in action:

Product List:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
MAC Strobe Cream
Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain
No Brand Buffing Brush
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
MAC Studio Fix Powder in NW13
MAC Painterly Paint Pot
By Terry Ombre Black Star in Misty Rock
Clinique Eye Shadow Brush
Urban Decay Shadow Brush
MAC White Frost Eye Shadow
MAC Cork Eyeshadow
MAC Wedge Eyeshadow
MAC 224 Brush
MAC 217 Brush
MAC Sketch Eyeshadow
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 1N Extra Light
MAC 212 Brush
MAC 219 Brush
MAC Dipdown Fluidline
MAC 263 Brush
Rimmel Brow This Way in Deep Brown
Inglot Gel Eyeliner in 77
No Brand Paint Brush
MAC False Lashes Mascara
MAC 109 Brush
NYX Powder Blush in Taupe
Crown Brush Contour Brush
MAC Stereo Rose Blush
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Sleek Face Form in Light Highlighter
Nima Brush Wendy
MAC Peach Blossom Lipstick

So would I spend another €30 quid for a different colour from the collection? Definitely! My sister also picked up the same shade and gets great use out of hers! So let me know would you spend that much on an eye shadow pencil? Or do you have any dupes from a budget brand I should know about?

GIVEAWAY!

Hey Ladies,

GIVEAWAY KLAXON!

Who doesn't love something for free? Well, to celebrate the start of my YouTube journey I decided to giveaway my favourite lipstick that you would have seen in my latest tutorial!

All you have to do is go to my YouTube channel youtube.com/whatsnewwithsuzieq and subscribe. Then leave me a quick comment on my Vintage Makeup Tutorial telling me what your favourite MAC product is! So simple and only takes 2 shakes of a lambs tail....so who wants to win? I do...maybe I'll just keep it for myself heh. This giveaway is open up until the 29th of May so lots of time to get entering. 

May the odds be ever in your favour!

New Video Alert!

Hey Ladies,

I know there was no post on Monday and if you follow me on social media you'll know that I have been feeling under the weather but from my sick bed I have finally been able to edit my latest video....HUZZAH! I have to say I am so excited about this video as it has been my favourite thus far on my YouTube Channel so I am excited to share it with you all.

I am a huge fan of anything vintage so today's video is a vintage makeup tutorial. I will leave a full product list below in case you were wondering about any of the product, shade etc and if I have done any reviews on the products I will link them too. As I mentioned in the video I have got a giveaway coming up and I will be announcing it on Instagram so keep your eyes peeled on there for that.

With all that said lets get into it....grab a cuppa....

Product List:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
Boots Botanics Radiance Balm All Bright (Review coming soon!)
Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain
Buffing Brush (Reviewed here)
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15
Beauty Blender
MAC Painterly Paint Pot (Reviewed here)
Urban Decay Shadow Brush
MAC Vanilla Eye Shadow
MAC Cork Eyeshadow
MAC Wedge Eyeshadow
MAC 224 Brush
MAC 217 Brush
MAC White Frost Eyeshadow
MAC Embark Eyeshadow
No7 Blending Brush
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 1N Extra Light
MAC 212 Brush
Essence Kajal Liner in White
MAC Dipdown Fluidline
MAC 263 Brush
Rimmel Brow This Way in Deep Brown
Inglot Gel Eyeliner in 77
No Brand Paint Brush
Eyeko Eye Do Mascara (Reviewed here)
Duo Lash Glue
Ardell Demi Wispies
MAC Mineralised Skin Finish in Light
MAC 109 Brush
NYX Powder Blush in Taupe (Reviewed here)
Real Techniques Contour Brush
MAC Stereo Rose Blush
Real Techniques Blush Brush
MAC Mineralised Skin Finish in Lightscapade
Nima Brush Wendy (Reviewed here)
MAC Brick Lipliner
MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick

Festival Makeup!

Hey Ladies,

I am really getting into the swing of the whole YouTube business and today I have a brand new video for you. I wanted to get this post up before Summer hits and your various feeds are chockablock with Festival posts. I have never been to a music festival *emoji sad face* but I reckon this would be the type of look I would go for if I was to go. It's super simple and only takes a few extra products to your regular routine and my motto is the brighter the better and don't be afraid to add a pop of colour to the lips. Oh and not forgetting the obligatory floral head band!

If you want a product list for this look sure let me know in the comments and I can get that up for you. Also the little do-dad you see in the video for protecting your eyeshadow/glitter from falling on your cheeks is from Elf and I have a post all about it here.
 
          

So get the war paint out and let's experiment!

My Favourite MAC Lipsticks!

Hey Ladies,

I wanted to get a quick post up today all about my favourite MAC lipsticks!

Every time I go for a peruse in MAC I always head straight to the lipstick section and always leave with a sneaky purchase and oodles of swatches all the way up my arm. I think MAC knocks it out of the park when it comes to lipsticks with so many different colours and formulations there is something for everyone. Personally I like their matte colourful lippies because you just can't recreate colours like Candy Yum Yum, Heroine or Pleasure Bomb! 

I also store all my favourite lipsticks in these cute acrylic holders that I picked up in Tiger for just €3! They look fab all lined up together on my vanity instead of hiding in my drawers where I can't see them.

(L-R All Fired Up, Myth, Viva Glam Gaga 2, Diva, Lovelorn, Pleasure Bomb, Viva Glam Gaga, Heroine, Candy Yum Yum, Ruby Woo and Lady Danger)

Whats your favourite lipstick colour? Are you a fan of MAC or do you prefer the budget buys?