My Artistic Goals for 2016

Opening up

I really just want time for myself in 2016. I love my job at Pandora and I'm so thankful for the hours that now fit around my lifestyle. Realistically, 2016 will probably be the only chance in my life to not have to worry about income, job and bills etc. Therefore, I really want to take the opportunity to experiment and do as many different things as much as possible!

The support I have received towards my drawings is astounding. By November 2015, I was already booked up until April 2016 aiming to do around 3 drawings a week, with the odd time off. That's what? 36 pieces.... overwhelming. 

Anyway, as you know, I loveeeee Instagram (it's my fave) and I follow a lot of artists on there, who have inspired me to get out my comfort zone and just try something completely different for a change! At the moment, along side my commissions I am practicing my skills for Acrylics and Oils, as well as just drawing things that aren't portraits of a person....

I'm going through a phase where I love sketching. Just sitting by my window in my bedroom or dining room and just sketching what I see. Trees, birds or even just the sky in different mediums! I really want to share my sketch book one day. At the moment, I feel that a sketchbook is like a window into someones mind... their opinions, thoughts, passions. You know so much about someone just by looking at their doodles in a sketch book. I just don't feel ready to share those ideas yet...

I think for all the aspiring artists who read my blog should start and practice with a sketch book. When I first thought about starting one, the only thing that crossed my mind was that it wasn't proper art. Well that couldn't be further from the truth, because it shows the dedication, frustration. The highs and the lows. A sketch book is more personal than any kind of artwork you'll complete. 

Leading on from that, I don't think people realise how challenging it is trying to get your art to have some kind of worth in this society, or even to participate in the subject. Throughout school I had so many lows. It is the most stressful subject you'll ever do. Being judged about everything. It's not just what the hand creates. It's hours and hours just thinking and coming up with ideas about what to produce next. In school, majority of students focused on how to please the examiner. Not me though, I only produced pieces I wanted to produce. Still doing what I was meant to be doing, but in my own way. Probs why I got a D. I worked my arse off on that course. I seriously feel like I went through a stage of depression after I got my grade. I never let it show, I'm good at covering up any kind of emotion. I've never even spoke about it. I was in such a dark place. I'm sure a lot of art students know about what I'm talking about. 2 years worth of dedication, perseverance and fighting through those lows to come out with a D and be rejected by University. I got rejected to do art, but got accepted in for History that I wasn't doing too well in all year but bombed the exam coming out with a B.... sick world. I was going to go to Uni to do history but I chickened out 3 days before I was meant to leave. This was partly because of the dark space I was in. I just knew I wanted to do something with art and to be stopped by one person's opinion really changed me. I felt like they ruined my life. Since September 2015 I have been 'um-ing' and 'ar-ing' about re-applying but I just feel like that part of me is lost. I don't think I could go back to being judged every day, being told "that's not good enough, do it again". Doesn't that defeat the object of art? I still feel that way now. I don't even post half of my drawings on social media because taking art at school has made me scared of opinion... of rejection. Even commissions. I judge myself so much through every piece and I have so much stress before sending the piece away to it's new home. Never being proud of something and always thinking it could be better. If I'm honest, it's getting to the stage where it's making me not want to take on the challenge of commissions. Then at the same time, I think to myself people wouldn't pay me to do them if they didn't like my work. Just a constant battle, that taking art as a subject in school has caused.

Update: I've had this post in my drafts for a long time. Way before I even started the blog. I've got a really bad cold at the moment, so I've been in bed all day just thinking.... and now I'm going to post this. Sorry it kind of ends abruptly but I don't feel well enough to complete it/ edit it - my eyes hurt looking at my phone screen but I just really wanted to put this out there. At the end of the day, I'm not letting a degree or someone in education define whether I can make it as an artist or not.

Like the saying goes... "those who can't do, teach". 

My obsession and fetish over WHITE TEETH

White Teeth have ALWAYS been my thing... it's the first thing I look at when I talk to anyone...

You'll all notice now that I've said that...

So yeah, I have a bit of a weird obsession and fetish over having white teeth... I just think it changes a person...

I even went through a phase last summer saving up for Veneers and professional Teeth Whitening. But that didn't last long. If you know me, you know how bad I am at saving money so it was a failure before I even started. You've probably gathered that already if you've read my blogs, spending my money on pointless products I don't even need, thinking they are doing something to me but they're actually not.

So anyway I've used a variety of difference products so I thought why not share with you my two favourites that I always use.

First up we have the typical Crest Whitening Strips.

I use the Crest 3D Supreme Flexfit Brilliance Whitestrips. I love them. I have tried so many products, and one of the first things I notice about them is that they don't actually stick to your teeth... isn't that the idea of teeth whitening strips? But not these... they are a 30 minute application and they stick the whole way through. And they keep my teeth super white! You can pick these up at CaliWhite if you're from the UK and cost near enough £50.00 for 14 applications (2 weeks worth).

Then we have my special imported 'toothpaste'...

Clearly I like imported teeth whitening....

I use a product called 'Glister'. Honestly, this is my go-to and absolute favourite. I saw a difference in my teeth after the first brush... If you didn't want to spend £50 on teeth whitening strips every 2 weeks (I definitely don't) then this does the job all by itself. I wasn't a particular fan of the minty taste when I first started using the product but it's not bad and you get used to it.

Another bonus about this product is that you don't need a lot of toothpaste on your brush because it foams up so much... that makes up for the £8 you'll pay for the tube but it lasts such a long time -- coming from me who brushes my teeth around 3-4 times a day!

Another thing I like about this product is that it gets rid of the hardest stains!! I had braces on for a year and on my dog tooth (that's what I call it -- the one that's 2 away from your big front teeth) I had a really horrible stain from the glue or something where the metal had sat. I was really self conscious of it (which is pretty much the reason I've tried every other product out on the market). I lived with this stain for about 3 years trying all these products... it wasn't majorly bad but when you know it's there, you see it worse than what it is, d'ya know what I mean? And then I came across Glister tooth paste last year. Before I knew it or even realised, the stain had gone. After 3 years... it had disappeared.

I usually clean my teeth 3-4 times a day if I'm home.... sometimes I even clean my teeth in the shower lol.... please don't judge me..

My tip for whiter appearing teeth is a brown/ purple undertoned lipsticks. That's why I always stay away from red and pink undertoned lipsticks. You can check out my favourite 'nude' lipsticks here.

Thanks for reading - definitely check out the Glister Toothpaste! See you in my next post... JC x

My Every Day Make Up 'Look'

Soooo my every day make up look... (I'll attach links to all the products and a pricing list at the bottom of the post!) 

huuuuuuu I love make up...

Okay so first of all I kick off with hydrating my face. I use about 3 squirts of Mario Badescu Rose water. Make sure you keep your mouth closed because it really tastes of roses... strong. I learned the hard way. Don't be like Jade. 

I also use this as a setting spray when applying cream products and after to set everything.

Next Up I use the Estee Lauder Day Wear cream. This just moisturizes your face and makes your make up have such a natural glow. I dot this all over my face (only a little bit - less is more) and just rub in each section with my fingers. I wait for this to sink in before I move on.

Now it depends on what look I'm going for so I use either or. I brought the Benefit porefessional for no reason to be honest because I don't have visible pores but it really smooths out the skin making it even. I use this product when I want to go for my glow look. I usually concentrate this around my T-Zone and sides of my nose, bringing it out to my cheeks with the product residue I have left on my fingers. If I'm going for an all matte, long lasting make up look I will use Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer. If I'm honest, I really don't like this product especially if I go a long time without using it as it always gives me pimples. But it does keep the oil away and makes my make up last a long time!

 

After I've allowed time for either of these to sink in, I move straight onto foundation. I can not rate this foundation enough. I use the Estee Lauder Double Wear and even though it is a medium to full coverage foundation, it's so bendable and quite lightweight on your skin for a thicker foundation. Estee Lauder products always smell so good too! I have two colours which I use depending if I've fake tanned or not. The time of year affects my foundation colour too as stupid as that sounds. Like, I feel that the lighting is different - much harsher in January. I always feel like my foundation is too dark for me which I will have used all year round. The lightest colour I use is ECRU 1N2 and then my darker shade is Desert Beige 2N1. I always try to stay away from a pink undertoned foundation because my face is really pink naturally. I blend my foundation in with a Real Techniques buffing brush.

Then I move straight onto concealer as this foundation dries so quickly. I use the Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer. I place this in a filled triangle under my eyes down to the top of my cheek bone, down the middle of my nose, a tiny bit on my chin (as I don't want to make it look any bigger), around my mouth, and the bottom of my forehead. I pronounce it fo-rud. thhhh o rud. Pointing that out because it's just took me ages trying to figure out how to spell the bloody thing. 

Anyway, I blend all of that together with a Real Techniques Miracle Complex Sponge, pressing my foundation in too. My shade in the concealer is 2C Light Medium.

Now I just slightly bronze myself up around the area's that I'm going to contour. I use the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer in a blush all over face compact. It's such a creamy bendable product - especially for a powder!! As you can see - it's very loved!! -- Better pick up a new one!

left to right, top to bottom: Nude Rose 11, Rosewood 13, Pink Kiss 02, Bronze Goddess 01

I then move onto doing my contour. I use both the Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream and Powder Contour Kit. I just draw a line with the cream contour just on: my cheek bone, temples, around forehead, down the sides on my nose and around my jawline and chin (which I cut off a bit because I like my chin smaller). I use the shade 'Light Sculpt'. I then add my highlight shade. I take the colour Fair and Banana as a mix and draw a little X at the bottom of my forehead, down the centre of my nose, tiny bit under my eyes (not too fond of the hightlights in this pallet), around my mouth and a small circle in the centre of my chin. 

Left to right, top to bottom: Fair, Neutral, Banana, Java, Light Sculpt, Havana

I then set everything with two products. For all my highlighted areas, I use my Laura Mercier translucent setting power on a damp Real Techniques sponge (sprayed with the Mario Badescu Rose Water) and then the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit over my contoured areas. With this kit, I use the shade 'Fawn' and lightly go over everything as I don't want it to be too intense.

 

Left to right, top to bottom: Vanilla, Banana, Sand, Java, Fawn, Havana

Then finally I move onto my eyebrows! phewww! For my eyebrows I use a combination of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade and Brow Wiz in the shade 'chocolate'. I use my Brow Wiz brush end to brush through my brows and have them ready in the direction I want my hairs to go. Using a Zoeva Rose Gold brow brush I lightly tap the DipBrow and carve out my natural shape and push the product towards the centre of my brow to fill them in. Any gaps and the front of my brow I go over with the brow wiz as I feel you have more control with how much product you put on. I also use the brow wiz to shape my top arch on each brow. I then just use my Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer to highlight and clean up around the entirety of the brow using a Real Techniques corrector brush from the Core Collection.

I shouldn't really but I do... 

To set my eyebrows in place because my eyebrows have a mind of their own.. (my dad calls me Dr. Spock from Star Trek -- just googled who he was now... lil bit offended.) I just use an ear bud and spray Joey Essex Hold Up Hair Spray onto the bud and run it through my brows. Problem solved.

Now I prime my eyelids using the LORAC 'Behind the Scenes' Eye Primer. Just want to point out that their eye shadow palettes are to die for...

After I've primed my eyelids for the stressful and exhausting day of being Jade Cook, I take EITHER...

My Urban Decay Naked Basics palette and use the colour 'Naked 2' throughout the crease and really high up to my brow as a base and colour build up. I sometimes leave the crease there if I don't want to go too intense, but lets be honest... how often do I say that? 

To intensify the crease even more, I place the colour 'Faint' from the same palette in the outer V and up throughout the crease. This defines the eye even more and cleans up the eye area. Then I just take and thick angled eye brush and run the colour 'Venus' underneath my brow just to highlight and clean up the edges. 

After I've finished all that, I take my most favourite eye shadow ever. This product is called 'All That Glitters' by MAC and I just use an 'All Over' shadow brush over the entirety of my lid, blending into my outer V without taking away it's intensity. 

Far right shadow is 'All That Glitters'.

If I want to do a more intense glam look for my eye, I take the Bobbi Brown 'Warm Glow' Eye Palette and use the colour 'beige' throughout the crease. To intensify the look again, I then take the darker brown which has a bit of shimmer to it called 'Velvet Bronze' and run that in the outer V and through the crease. For a shimmer effect I take a combination of two colours, first being 'Golden Pink' and place that on the lid. For a more bronze effect, I then take 'Bonfire' and tap that on the lid and take it into the inner corner. For both eye looks, I run the lightest crease brown under my eye to near enough the middle, and then connect it all together with my shimmer. 

Now this next step is purley how lazy/ tired I am that day by what I choose you use. 

If I'm feeling the usual over jolly loud Jade, I take my Rimmel London Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner. I always just do a really thin Kylie Jenner kind of eye... Really don't like thick rounded eyeliner. I really like this eyeliner because it's so black and not too dewy/shiny. Although if you suffer from runny eyes, avoid this product because any little bit of water that gets on this product... you're running. 

And then if I'm just being super lazy, I'll just use either of the darkest blackish colours from either palette and run that neatly along my upper lash line.

Okay... time to curl my lashes...

Now I use a combination of two products for my mascara. 

First of all, I use the Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye mascara. I just love this mascara. It's just so neat and black but just so delicate when you put it on. I never used to be one for buying expensive mascaras (I did used to use the Estee Lauder and Clinique ones but forget them) because I thought they do the same job... However, with this Bobbi Brown one, hardly any of it flakes off throughout the day, reducing the blackness which appears under my eyes. I always had this problem but ever since I have used this, it has stopped. To secure and prevent this even more, I then take my Estee Lauder 'Little Black Primer' (which is waterproof, might I add) and place this over the top. Even though this is a primer and meant to go underneath your mascara, I like using it over the top because it stops the Bobbi Brown one from flaking. 

Then I move onto highlighting. To highlight I use MAC's Soft and Gentle mineralize skin finish. I apply before blush so the product really melts and becomes one with the skin. To do this, I really enjoy blending with a large blending brush. I place the product on the top of my cheek bones, tip of my nose, top of my nose, underneath my brow bone dragging the remainder of the product down so it meets the cheek highlight, my cupids bow and whats left on my brush on my temples.

At this point, if I want fuller looking lips, I will take my Anastasia Beverly Hills Power contour kit and take the shade 'Fawn' and just run that underneath the bottom of my lip and round the edges of my top lip. 

After I've applied my highlighter I'll take my blusher. I use the colour Nude Rose 11 from my Estee Lauder Palette I spoke about early. Its such a pretty natural pink rose colour. I love it. Blends like a dream. I use circular motions, keeping it away from the apples of my cheeks to blend the contour together. 

Again... Well loved.

And to finish up my look I usually apply my MAC lipstick in the shade 'Blankey'. If you read my lipstick blog post, you'll know that this is my most favourite lipstick! Just so natural and perfect for the bronze brown eye look! 

Need to buy a new one! Brought this last year at the airport when I was going to Barcelona with the art girls!

And then, I just line my lips so they are crisp, using MAC 'Oh Honey' Lipliner.

Well there you have it! That's my every day make up look! Thanks for reading this long blog post! See you in the next one... Jade x

Price List: In Order Of Blog

Rose Water £10.00 

Day Wear £42.00

Porefessional £24.50

Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer £5.99

Real techniques Core collection £15

Estee Lauder Double Wear £30.00

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer £22.00

Real Techniques Mircel Complex Sponge £5.99

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess £33.00

ABH cream contour kit: £39

ABH powder contour kit £39

Laura Mercier Powder £29

ABH Dip Brow £15

ABH Brow Wiz £15.50

Joey Essex Hold Up Spray £3.00

Lorac Eye Primer $21.00

Naked Basics £23.00

MAC 'All That Glitters' £13.00

Bobbi Brown Warm Glow Eye Palette £59.00 (I believe this was limited addition)

Rimmel London Glam Eyes Eye Liner £5.29

Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara £23.00

Estee Lauder Little Black Primer £20.00

MAC Soft and Gentle Highlighter £24.00

Estee Lauder Nude Rose Blush $90.00 (discontinued price)

MAC 'Blankety' Lipstick £15.50

MAC 'Oh Honey' Lip Liner £12.50

My Nighttime Skin Care Routine

How do I keep my skin so healthy and flawless?

Honestly, I never used to be big on skin care as I always had really good skin, so thought there's no need. However I now just love looking after my skin, and with these products I use, I always wake up with a super soft face. My make up blends so much better into my skin too which is a bonus!

Firstly, if I've been wearing make up I'll use the 'SIMPLE' "Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion". I have really sensitive skin so I'm kind of stuck on this one product... I've tried soooo many others but they always make my face sting after application. Apart from this being the only product that doesn't make my face and neck feel like it's on fire, it really nourishes the skin and gets rid of the majority of make up. I proper paint my face with make up, especially if I have an event so automatically makes me more prone to spots/pimples and I don't ever break out if I've got all my make up off with this product. I use the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and if I wear for a long period of time (NEVER sleep in it) I always get the massive ugly spot on my face.... This just shows that the product really cleanses your face because I only get sports if I leave my foundation on for too long...

Just to make sure that I've got all the make up off my face, I use the Estee Lauder 'Take It Away' make up remover. It smells like polish and makes my eyes water but it gets everything off. It's what the make up artists use on the Estee Lauder counter. You can pick this up for £22 from the Estee Lauder website. 

Next Up I use bareMinerals 'Deep Cleansing Foam' in warm water. You just need a pearl sized amount (so the product lasts you absolutely agesssss) and just massage it into you face. Can I just point out now that this product smells so good too....

Then I just rinse after I've massaged it in and my skin feels sooooo good! I have also noticed that if I do get a ugly spot starting to form, I put a load of this on my face and it literally stops the growing process.... 1 to Jade.

Then I just usually chill for a bit, like watch a film (i.e have the film on in the background while I sit scrolling thought Instagram and Twitter) or I dance around my bedroom to The 1975 in my PJ top and underwear... whatever mood I'm feeling...

Okay.... moving on...

I then apply a combination of skin products from Estee Lauder which are honestly so nice... That being the Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum'. You don't put this product over your eyes, you literally put it around on the tops of you lids near your brow and down by your bags. I've found that using this prevents my concealer for creasing during the day because I've like literally moisturizes your eye area so it's not so dry and has a long lasting texture your make up can kind of stick to.

After I've gave a couple of seconds for that to sink into my skin, I then go onto use the Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II' which I use all over my face. I do this routine about 4 times during the week because even though I have dry skin, if I use too much nightwear products so like moisturizers/ toners etc, I find that it makes my skin so much more oily?

Well that's it for my 'everyday' nighttime skin care routine. I do use the occasional Face Mask and Fake Tan which has natural moistuiser in the product but not often enough to have such positive skin care results like these! I hope you found this helpful! definietly go to Estee Lauder and get some samples to try of the nighttime care serums because they make such a difference you your skin!

See you in my next post! Jade


Average price list:

• 'SIMPLE' "Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion - I get mine from boots because they usually do offers on this product where I stock up and I get my boots loyalty card points! On a bad day without the offers, this is available for £3.29 and I usually need a new one every 1 - 2 weeks - but I wear A LOT of make up so it all depends on how much you'll use .
• bareMinerals 'Deep Cleansing Foam' - I literally buy all my beauty products from BeautyBay... they're literally amazing, especially with their delivery. I always receive it the next day for free! WOOP! You can buy this for £15.00. I've had mine for 2 months and I've still got over 3/4 of a bottle left using it nearly ever day...
• Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum' - This one is a bit of a sting to your purse but is 110% worth it... My skin just feels so good... And like I said - my concealer doesn't crease the next day. You can pick this up from the Estee Lauder Website for £46.00.
• Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II' - Again, another bit of a sting. You can pick this product up for £50.00. Next time you're at a counter ask for some samples of this just to try! You'll love it!

Pencils I Use The Most

Hi everyone... So I said on my last post that I would upload a video or something just showing my recommendations for individual pencils so if you don't want to buy a whole set, you have the option to go out and buy the ones I think are absolutely necessary. What I will say though is that the pencils that I am recommending are based from me being a portrait artist so will be for those kind of areas.

However if anyone does want a video of a coloured pencil recommendation for other things, for example fruits or clothing feel free to leave a comment or message me on any of  my social media sites and I will post that as soon as possible for you guys!

Here is the video, thanks for watching and I hope you find it somewhat helpful! I will purchase a proper camera and lighting when I move onto YouTube for the tutorials so not to worry about the awful quality haha!

Where Do You Even Start? (feat. Jack and Rose Titanic clip)

To kick of this blog a bit more to what I started it for...

This is a quick progression video of my A1 coloured pencil Jack and Rose piece, which I created for my EPQ last year. I just wanted to document my time whilst drawing the piece and I needed to provide evidence for the course that I actually drew the piece. 

Soooo why post it on a blog that's meant to be helping us as aspiring artists you ask...

Well, I thought that I would upload this piece from my YouTube channel so you can see the structure of a drawing, and how I tackle certain areas. Creating any drawing can be overwhelming and one of the main things that put people off is the big "WHERE DO I EVEN START?!" panic. 

I personally always start at the eyes because I feel that is where you can portray the most emotion in the portrait. I believe that if you don't get the eyes right, the drawing will lack realism and just generally won't turn out as good as other pieces. So as you can see from the video, I start at the eyes. 

Since this piece was made over a year ago, I have change the way I draw the details of the eyes -- rather than drawings lines which you can see in the video, I now just build upon the colour as you would do with the skin. 

Next, I work around to the left because I am right handed. If I was to work my way from right to left, I would drag all the excess across the page, affecting the overall appearance of colour. 

You will see all my movements in the video, generally moving top to bottom; left to right! 

If you have any other questions, just ask!

See you in my next post... JC 

Favourite 'Nude' MAC lipsticks

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am literally OBSESSED with MAC products... especially their lipsticks! Every time I go to MAC store I have this thing, where I end up buying one even if I don't intend to... So as you can imagine, I have built up a rather unhealthy collection...

I like to change my lipsticks up by combing them with each other for a 'highlight' effect on my lips, or just to have a more sheer, glossy effect rather than pure Matte.This is because sometimes, especially in the winter months, I find that Matte lipsticks really dry my lips out and are generally just uncomfortable to wear.

Viva Glam II

I generally reach for more pinky nude colours for my lips as I like to keep it on the more natural side and combine this with more of an intense eye. However, my lipstick colour choice also has a great influence from my teeth. I take great care towards my teeth, using a variety of teeth whitening products so therefore I like to reach for more brown, purply undertone lipsticks just because it makes your teeth appear so much whiter -- who wouldn't want that?

So here I am listing some of my favourite MAC 'nude' lipsticks not really in any order, just kind of what I have grabbed!!

• Blankety - So here we have my first ever MAC lipstick and honesty my go-to and all time favourite! --- You can probably tell from the picture by how little is left -- better order a new one! The lipstick is apart of the 'amplified' collect so leaves a really nice refreshing silky feel to you lips and does last for a couple of hours! Because it's such a natural nude colour, it stains your lips but naturally, rather than having a wear affect some darker shades leave. It's so easy to use for any look!
• Honey-Love - This shade is such a beautiful colour - especially combined with MAC 'Oh Honey' Pro Long-wear lipliner. It has a really nice pinky undertone when applied your lips (I'm an absolute sucker for pink undertoned products!). The lipstick lasts for a good 4 hours on your lips and isn't too drying compared to some of the other matte lipsticks from MAC. 
• Viva Glam II - My most recent lipstick to have been added to my collection. I don't usually reach for super dark lipstick colours as I just don't think they suit me with my hair being blonde and green eyes but Viva Glam II is seriously beautiful and something I 100% reach for when wearing nude/ camel colour clothing. The lipstick itself has a warm grey/purple undertone mixed with this gorgeous burgundy effect, creating a nice natural brown lip which isn't too overpowering! Especially for me, having such a dark colour appear in my top favourites definitely means something about this lipstick! Viva Glam II is a satin finish (my fave finish) which allows the colour to just melt into your lips. Because this is quiet a dark colour, the satin finish allows the lipstick to have a much more comfortable lifeline on the lips because it doesn't have such harsh fading effects as some of the matte lipsticks in darker colours do. 
• Myth - This lipstick shade is a must for any lipstick collection. I will admit I have never worn this lipstick  on it's own simply because it's too light. However because it is a Satin finish, when applying to neutralise a darker colour, it has such a highlighted effect on your lips. I often use this lipstick for a Kylie Jenner effect, combing the lipstick with the Pro LongWear lip liner 'Nice 'N' Spicy' to tone the colour down but still have that nice darker pouted lip. Recently, the lip I have been wearing the most this actually a combination of 'Oh Honey' lip liner, with Myth over the top, blending the two together and then applying 'Shang Hai Spice' over the top for a real pinky holiday cocktail kind of effect. Not to mention keeping my lips really sheer and glossy!
• Shang Hai Spice - Since I spoke about this shade, combing it with 'Myth', I thought I'd just move straight on to it. Me and my friend Megan mourn this lipstick every time we go through my collection. It melted in my car last summer... We was only waiting in the car for 30 minutes and that was it...gone. This is one of the most beautiful summery shades MAC have. It has a bit of a glittery shine to it which makes it even more unique among the ever growing MAC collection... simply beautiful. This lipstick shade itself is a pinky orange colour which looks stunning when paired with darker suede browns which have been in this year! Just looking at the picture makes me sad... Megan actually combines this lipstick with MACs 'whirl' lip liner, This makes her lips have natural looking pink undertone rather than a harsh brown.
• Hue - Last but not least is Hue, It has such a great shine because of the 'glaze' finish....The word glaze just reminded me of doughnuts....mmmmmm. Anyway, back onto Hue. I'd recommend this lip colour for lighter skin tones simply because it is such a light shade. Although, for darker skin tones - this lipstick would be perfect for a highlight on the center of your lips because of the glaze finish. This would make your lips appear fuller. 

Hope you found these helpful! See you in my next post and let me know what your favourite lipsticks are so I can try them out! Much love, Jade x