Real Techniques Night Owl Palette | Review, Swatches and 2 Looks!

Hi guys!

The other day I ordered myself the Real Techniques Night Owl palette - it came today and I have spent the whole day playing around with it and thought I would write a review about it and show you two of the looks I have created.  The looks are both really smoky because it is a night owl palette and so are looks that you could wear on a night out or to a fancy event!  I wouldn't really say these are day time looks.

I was surprised when the palette came with a free 'pointed liner brush' and thought that this was a really nice touch.  It was really convenient as well seeing as the palette comes with a gel eyeliner and I wouldn't have had a brush to apply it with!

The palette comes with four eyeshadows - a sandpaper colour with a slight shimmer called 'Quicksand', a purple with a slight shimmer called 'Royal Orchid', a dark grey/bluey colour with a slight shimmer called 'Midnight Sapphire' and a shimmery black called 'Galaxy'.  Apparently one of them is matte so maybe some of the shimmer from 'Galaxy' has transferred because they all look shimmered in my palette!  Here they are swatched - 

The palette also includes a black gel eyeliner, a soft glowing pink blusher, a cream highlighter, a nude lipgloss called 'Nude Rose' and a red lip gloss called 'Cabernet'.

I absolutely LOVE the gel eyeliner.  I've never really been one for gel eyeliner, liquid has always been my go-to because it's so easy and fool proof to use and I think I have finally mastered the perfect flick!  The brush that comes with the palette makes applying the product super easy, giving a less harsh line to your eyes than liquid liner does and making your lashes look fuller.

My other favourite from this palette is the highlighter, because like the blusher, it just really helps you get that flawless glowing cheek look.  It's really lightweight and so easy to blend just with your hands.

The eyeshadows are not very heavily pigmented but what is great about them is that they are very easy to build up.  The sheerest of them all is the black shimmery one and it took quite a few layers to build up quite a heavy colour pay off.  They all blend together really well and are not chalky in the slightest.  I love all the colours, they're perfect for a night out!  When I was creating my eye looks there was quite a lot of fall down onto the face but I'm not sure if it was because of my technique or the fact I didn't use a primer to begin with.

Here are the looks I created!  I used my sister Hollie as a model.  Here's a 'before' shot - she's wearing Collection Lasting Perfection concealer on any imperfections in the shade 'fair', Loreal True Match foundation in 'rose ivory' and Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot translucent powder.

Look 1:  I used a Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush to sweep the sandpaper colour all across Hollie's eyelids.  Next I used a Real Techniques Accent Brush to create a V shape in the outer V of her eyes with the shimmery black eyeshadow - this took a fair amount of layers!  Then I took a Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush and blended from the V with the grey eyeshadow.  It's really important to blend well in this step so that the shimmery black doesn't look too harsh.  Then I took the eyeliner brush that came with the palette and the gel eyeliner to line her upper lash line, adding a flick in the outer corner.  Then, I highlighted her inner corner with the sandpaper colour.  To finish off the eyes I added Maybelline The Falsies mascara.  Next, I applied the blush to the apples of Hollie's cheeks, and used the highlighter to highlight her cheekbones, and used a sparing amount to highlight her brow bone.  I used Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer to slightly contour and warm up her face a little bit more then finished with the red lipgloss in the palette.  Here's the result!

Look 2:  I kept the face make up and mascara from the previous look but removed the red lipgloss and all eyeshadow and eyeliner.  Firstly, I packed on the purple eyeshadow using the eyeshadow brush that comes with the Urban Decay NAKED palette.  I then took the black shimmery eyeshadow on another clean Real Techniques Base Shadow brush and blended all across the outer part of Hollie's eyelid.  I used some of her translucent powder to help blend out any harsh lines.  Again, I used the sandpaper colour to highlight her inner corner and also used this as a brow bone highlight.  I added some purple eyeliner from Rimmel Scandaleyes on her waterline to make the look even smokier.  I also lined her upper lash line the same way as in look 1.  I finished with the nude lipgloss that comes with the palette!  Here's the result!

There doesn't seem to be a difference in lip colours in the pictures but Hollie has naturally quite pigmented lips.

I really hope you love the looks and please let me know if you decide to recreate them, and don't forget to let me know what you think of this brilliant palette! <3

Zoe x

Everyday Makeup Routine | MAC, Rimmel, Mally, Revlon, Urban Decay, NYC

Hi there! So I know Zoe has already done a Spring Time Makeup look, but I wanted to share my everyday routine with you all as I have recently changed a few products which I am now currently loving! Like Zoe, I will usually do a subtle bronzed/golden eye-shadow look if I have time, but recently due to work commitments I have just had a quick 10 minutes to do my makeup everyday meaning it has been simplified. So here it is...

After my shower, where I use my Sephora Cleanser to clean my face (I use a make up wipe - Simple Skin - before my shower as I am terrible for taking my make up off the night before!!) I will prime my skin using the Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer in 003. I have been using this for around 4 weeks now and have only used a quarter of the tube, but I definitely feel that my skin is much softer and although it says nothing about helping spots, I recently had a small break out and it has cleared it all up  so I feel that it definitely helped with that! 

This primer helps to control shine for up to 8 hours and helps minimise pores. I will just put around a 20p size on my middle fingers and then rub into my face in circular motions. I recommended this as it is great and just under £6! 

Once this has dried in, I will then do one of the following three steps depending on how my skin is looking. 

ONE ---- If I am having a good day, I will go straight to using my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder in Medium. I used to live by this powder until I found it was too much money, but due to a new job last summer I decided to repurchase as I had some more cash to spend! It is £20, but a dupe for it which I love as well is the Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder (I used the shade Sand) which is part of the same range as the primer and foundation which I sometimes use! 

TWO ---- If my skin is looking a bit dull if I have maybe had a bad sleep or just not been being very active or healthy recently, I will use the Rimmel London Wake Me Up foundation in shade True Ivory 103 (around £8.99). I am on my 6th bottle of this so I would definitely recommend this to everyone!!! I was wary of it at first due to the light reflecting particles in it, but after many YouTubers raving on about it I thought I would give it a go and I'm not going back!  It brightens my skin and just gives me an all over natural glow which I think looks fantastic at any time of the year, but especially in the winter months! I will apply this using my Real Techniques Buffing Brush (in the core set - £25). I follow this up with my MAC powder (see ONE).

THREE ---- If I have a long day at work or am not able to touch up my make up at all I will use the Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in True Ivory 103. I apply this again with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush after i have made around 20 dots of it around my face. The only problem I have with this foundation, is I would say it has to be blended in a lot to make sure there are no lines. Again I will then apply my MAC powder on top.

After choosing one of the above steps, I will use my Urban Decay Flushed Palette which I got from my "secret" santa from my friend (thanks zoe!!). I use my S.I.L.K PRO Contour BC120 brush to apply the bronzer to my hollows of my cheeks, my hairline on my forehead, my temples and also to define my nose. 

I then use the blush in this palette with my Real Techniques Blush brush. It is very pigmented on my skin tone so I always gradually build it up.

Next I fill in my brows (my favourite part) using my Sleek Duo Brow in Light. One side is a spooly which I use to brush my brows into place, which I follow up by using the waxy side to fill them in is small strokes and finally brush back through to remove excess! This step takes under a minute so at £7 I recommend this product!

For eyes, I use Creep in the Naked Basics palette (Urban Decay) to line my lash line which a Real Techniques Accent Brush, followed by using either NYC Big Curl (dupe for Falsies by Maybelline ) or NYC Big Bold Volume (dupe for Maybelline Rocket Volume) (£1.99 each).

Finally, last but not least, on my lips I use either Mally Pilar Pink (QVC), Rimmel London Kate Moss shade 16, Revlon 027 Juicy Papaya or Bourjois Rouge Edition 03 with a quick topping of Carmex to help it last.

L to R : Mally, Rimmel London, Revlon, Bourjois

Although this is a long post, it takes me the best part of ten minutes to do so is actually a very quick and simple everyday routine! Hope you all enjoyed it and will try some of the products!

Devon
x o x o