Autumn Beauty Favourites

It seems like only a few weeks ago I was singing the praises of Bourjois summer hits and now I am looking out of our study window on a rather chilly, rainy November afternoon with Autumn in full swing.

It did not take long to delve head first into the Autumnal tones when it comes to make up and these are a few of the things that I have been turning to day after day.

From left to right: Nars Laguna Bronzer, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Beige, Revlon Nail Colour in Vixen, Benefit Sexiest Nudes Ever...Eye Shadow Kit and MAC Eye Shadow in Divine Decadence.

The Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation was a replacement for my Rimmel Wake Me Up. The every day foundation that gives a good coverage and the dewy complexion that I prefer. I personally don't think that there is much between them and I would probably just pick up which ever one was on offer in Boots...that said the next purchase will be the Happy Light foundation...why? Just because.

My first foray into Revlon nail polishes. I can't say I am surprised by the quality of this product, all of the items I have picked up from them in the last year have been great. Great packaging, great formula and great colour. 2 coats give you that deep berry red perfect for these Autumn months.

Long time favourite of many a beauty blogger the NARS Laguna Bronzer has been on my shopping list for quite some time.  I am a huge fan of the Bobbi Bronzer but this gives a little more of an understated glow which adds a little colour as the weather turns cold. This does have a feint shimmer running through it unlike the matte colour in the Bobbi version but you are not going to turn into a glitter ball it just adds a little dimension.

MAC Divine Decadence is a limited edition eye shadow colour from the Indulge Collection. MAC describe it as a soft warm bronze. The colour itself is glittery Autumn in a tub. I use this in the crease for a day time neutral eye but have also used this all over to create a great shimmery smokey eye. 

The last is this great palette from Benefit. There are 3 of these in the collection but I just couldn't resist this cool purple offering. The palette contains 4 powder eye shadows; the white 'milk it!', the deep violet 'raincheck?', the lilac wash 'pause for applause' and the shimmery silver 'blingo!'. All 4 of these have great colour pay off and I've managed to create both day and night time looks. I was always a little wary of purple tones but I am absolutely loving these and the colours certainly do work for the green eyed girls.

Also included are the 2 mini creaseless cream eyeshadows in holy smokes, a dark shimmer laden grey, and bikini-tini, a nude gloss. Bikini-tini is a little 'meh' I don't think it adds much at all but I love love love holy smoke. It is a great shade and I have been using it as an eye liner for when I don't want something quite as harsh.

I think this little lot will keep me busy until the Christmas offerings start attracting my glittery magpie eye.

Summer Boots Haul

I have an addiction and seem to only be posting haul posts recently but there is so much on the wish list and so little time! This is simply the outcome of my last little walk around Boots in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.

First the not quite such exciting stuff; deodorant (I will only use Sure - guaranteed to work), double face pads and Batiste, which as far as I'm concerned is now an essential.

I like to have my 'everyday' make up which doesn't always include the high end products as they are often expensive to keep replacing. As a result I picked up these 2 Rimmel products; the Stay Matte powder in number 1 'Transparent' is raved about by almost everyone and I have had a few comments about it on my own posts when I've written about more high end powder products and the Wake Me Up concealer.

I really do like both products. The stay matte powder provides a gentle coverage and if buffed on with a slight hand avoids looking too chalky. It is not as long lasting as the Benefit Stay Flawless but topped up during the day keeps the oil at bay. I brought the concealer as day time alternative to the YSL touche eclat and actually think that it provides better coverage but of course isn't quite as easy to apply or as long lasting. It is certainly much needed by Friday of every week. 

There was a 3 for 2 on Bourjois so I chanced on the Healthy Mix foundation rather than repurchase the Rimmel Wake Me Up. I genuinely really do like this and can't tell much difference between the 2 drugstore products. It certainly provides good coverage and the finish is as you would expect from any foundation promising a radiant finish. 

It is here I must admit that the full reason for my trip to Boots was to pick up this simple lip crayon after reading rave review after rave review. I am loving the burst of bright glossy colour that 'Peach on the Beach' leaves me with and had lots of compliments from friends when I wore it on a recent night out.

I have been wanting to wear a white nail varnish for a while and think that they can look great on their own as well as provide perfect base coats for those brights. I wasn't so lucky with this one and the Maybelline option is the only drugstore white I could find. It is very thin and took 3 or 4 coats to get totally opaque.

The micellar solution from L'Oreal is an attempt at replacing the irreplaceable Bioderma which is now finished! This does not remove waterproof masacara and is a little more drying around the eye area than its French competitor but I am enjoying using it as part of my evening skin care routine, and first thing in the morning to refresh my eyes.

Please link up any drugstore hauls you have been posted about recently.

Duty Free Pick Ups

One of the best things about going on holiday (obviously discounting the holiday itself) is the possibility of picking up a few treats in duty free. Terminal 5 at London Heathrow does not disappoint and has one of the best beauty halls ever!

First stop was my beloved Bobbi Brown to pick up a couple of staples...and one extra treat.

I have written about the pressed powder before so it's no surprise that I was keen to pick this up minus VAT.

My favourite foundation of all time is the Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturising Foundation. This was originally purchased as part of my 'wedding face'. I don't use it every day because it is expensive but it has been in my foundation collection ever since. It smells of lavender and as a result feels quite calming and the skin matching is always great. My colour varies between 3 (Beige) and 3.25 (Cool Beige) and this gives great dewy coverage particularly when applied using the Real Techniques buffing brush. 

The only negative about this foundation is that it doesn't have a pump, however a quick check on the website shows that the revamped packaging now includes one - so it is practically perfect in every way!

The treat I picked up was the Shimmer Nail Polish in Pink Pearl which I had seen on a counter as part of the 'Summer Beach' collection. It has a real rose gold tint and provides a more elegant nude nail than your traditional french. Bobbi really does do natural with a twist so well.

  
The other luxurious staples that I managed to sneak into my basket were some wonderful creams from Clinque. These were fully appreciated after a long 8 hour dehydrating flight. 

These work wonders for my sensitive dry skin. I have been thoroughly enjoying using the deep comfort body butter and my skin has been thanking me for it. I've noticed the most difference around my eye area after using the all about eyes cream in rich. It certainly is that, a very thick pale cream that I use morning and night to stave off the appearance of those pesky fine lines.

A few more treats were in store and I sighed lustfully at the Jo Malone counter but couldn't make any decisions under the time pressure. 

A blogger favourite and an item long added to my wish list was the Rouge Volupte Shine in Number 8 'Pink In Confidence'. The packaging of this is enough to illicit a large sigh from me but the formula is just divine;  mositurising and long lasting glossy colour in the perfect nude pink.

The picture above shows the colour after 1 slick on the top and 2 slicks on the bottom - buildable and without shimmer just the perfect gloss, that once gone leaves a muted elegant pink.

The last thing I managed to sneak in my basket before making my way to our flight was the MAC Lipglass Dazzleglass in 'Date Night'. This is a little out of my comfort zone as it looks a bright purple in the tube.

A quick swatch reveals a pale purple with blue shimmer which once thinly layered over the lips provides a striking depth of shimmer and colour that I think really flatters. It is a little deeper than your usual nude or pink gloss so I do tend to save this for nights out as the name suggests.

I'm afraid there is one negative to this product and that is the quite sickly vanilla flavouring of the gloss that reminds me of the clear natural collection lip gloss I used to rock in my teens.

 

Is there anything here that will be making it onto your wish lists?

Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Do you ever just pop into Boots and then end up with a couple of purchases that were never intended? Yeah that...

I had seen reviews of this on Sunday Girl and Gemsmaquillage as well as a few other blogs and so it wasn't a surprise that this accidentally made its way into my shopping basket and onto my dressing table. I have been coveting the Soleil Tan de Chanel *remembering that 5 lustful minutes in duty free where my head did finally overrule my heart (or my bank account)* and rumours are that this is a pretty could dupe.

This isn't like a cream blush or a mousse like the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse its more of a whipped cream consistency. It smells of chocolate orange, which was an unexpected surprise and luckily the scent doesn't transfer onto the skin once it has been applied. 

I had anticipated using this as a product to contour on my 'summer' face but I have actually been using this as an all over bronzer. I'm not sure the colour would be right for my skin all year, but right now it is pretty much a good colour booster and isn't looking orange. I've applied using both fingers and a stippling brush and have been happy with both finishes.

This product has currently replaced my trusted and much loved Bobbi bronzer. I don't think this is shimmery at all, but it doesn't provide the same matte finish of the Bobbi. I can use this on top of my Laura Mercier tinted mosituriser and still feel like it is just my skin but better, perfect for lazy summer days and more importantly lazy summer make up!

Have you tried this product or anything else for this range? Do you have any other recommendations for that coveted summer glow?

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Unless you've been hiding in a brown paper bag, you will have failed to notice the 'Real Technique' brushes all over blogs. Now I have quite a well established collection of brushes from Bobbi, Front Cover and Benefit, and I'm not too keen on having lots of repeats. However, I have always struggled with  foundation brushes. I have a traditional flat brush from Body Shop but wouldn't say it was going to set the world alight, and so tended to use my fingers for putting on my foundation. 

I saw a lot of reviews about the stippling brush, and I have to say it was not something I had heard of or would have even paid attention to before starting to read blogs, and I was keen to give it a try, as it seemed that the 'airbrushed' look I so crave is almost achievable with this brush.

I like the look of this brush. The brushed aluminum pink casing, with rubberised tip. The soft bristles that are 'bleached' at the end to provide a flecked appearance. It certainly brightens up the dressing table.

The effect this brush creates with some foundations does not disappoint. I really am very impressed. It does not give the same effect with every foundation in my limited collection, which shows that each product has it's own likes and dislikes when being applied.

It has most definitely made a difference with my everyday foundation (Rimmel Wake Me Up), and after an application with this it makes my skin look almost flawless. 

This has been a most welcome addition to my make up bag and I'm so glad that my arm didn't have to be twisted too much to make this purchase! I may even be tempted to add a couple more brushes to the collection.

2012 Beauty Favourites

I've always been a beauty junkie but 2012 and my delve into the blogosphere has meant that this year I have indulged my passion a little bit more - enough to even write about it.

So I wanted to share with you some of my favourite products that I have discovered this year...

From left to right: Rimmel Lip Butter (Peach Parfait), Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara, Bobbi Brown Oyster and Pearl Palette, Benefit Porefessional, Essie Nail Polish (Miss Fancy Pants), Benefit Coralista

Foundation

OK I'm going to cheat a little bit here (and its only my first item) but whilst I have enjoyed trying a few new products, notably the Garnier BB cream and beauty blogger favourite 'Wake Me Up' Foundation from Rimmel, I am still on the quest for the one. So my favourite foundation product of the year is actually a primer. As I mentioned in a recent Benefit post (LINK) until I found Porefessional I had been using a L'Oréal Primer but this Benefit wonder knocks its socks off. I love that with a small amount it leaves your face feeling totally smooth and makes any drug store foundation look instantly better. I'm so glad that is now in my daily routine and will continue to be a regular purchase in 2013.

Blusher

Another Benefit product I'm afraid, but 2012 saw me fall back in love with this brand and in particular the Coralista blusher. Anything with a hint of coral and I'm your girl, so I was immediately attracted to this product, and needed it in my life as my blushers were certainly on the pinky side. I love the warmth it adds to my face with a hint of sparkle. This might sound weird but I also love how it smells. 

Lips

Having until later in the year been firmly in the 'nude and sparkly' camp it took me a little while to be brave enough to venture into colour. Whilst I'm still not rocking the pillar box red or berry pouts I so covet on other bloggers (I have the worlds thinest lips and just can't pull off brights) I have taken tentative baby steps into something a little more adventurous. I have just one word, Revlon. I have loved their high street take on more high end brands and my first 'lipstick' purchase ever, of a peach parfait lip butter which I love for a more sophisticated but still youthful look, and of course, its still sparkly!

Mascara

Back to a firm favourite of mine and that is Bobbi. As far as I'm concerned when it comes to make up, Bobbi can do no wrong and I have spent many an hour lusting over their counters asking to try product after product. When ordering some re-purchases online I was sent a sample of their Extreme Party mascara and was instantly hooked. Length, volume and not a clump in sight, it is mascara perfection!

Eyeshadow

Can I cheat again? I can't choose one eyeshadow, which are my drug of choice when it comes to make up. I could literally keep buying and buying filling my make up drawers with a kaleidoscope of colour, many of which are destined never to see the light of day. However, when I saw the Caviar  & Oyster palette from Bobbi, released as part of their Christmas range, and now sold out I knew I had to make it mine. I love all of the colours and will do a full review of the product as it so beautiful and therefore deserving of its own post. But the colours are all great, whether you are putting together a muted day look or a more dramatic smokey eye, the choice and quality is brilliant. I have just returned from holiday and this palette was the only eye shadows that I took with me and I managed to create a different look every night. 

Nail polish

On this occasion I'm not actually going to choose a colour but a brand. Pinterest and then blogs introduced me to Essie and it didn't take long for me to find the stand in my local Boots and Superdrug. I am a convert, what more can I say. I love the colours and I love the formula which gives a great slick of translucent colour, great shine and staying power. Whenever I've worn an Essie varnish I've had compliments and I can certainly see me adding to my collection in 2013, in fact I already have my eye on a couple of colours. 

So there it is...some of my beauty favourites for 2012, if you have done a similar post, please link it as I would love to have a look at some of the things that you have found. Maybe they will make it onto my favourites of 2013!

How To Look The Best At Everything

 The last time I brought anything from Benefit was well over 2 years ago when I lived in London and worked in Angel so was a regular at the gorgeous Benefit boutique on Upper Street!

As I mentioned in my last post I booked myself in for a little make up session at the Benefit counter to get a feel for some of the 'new' products and see if there was anything worth spending my hard earned money on - which wasn't hard. 

As well as the Gloss in my last post, I also brought the 'How To Look The Best At Everything' make up kit. 

The 'book' style case as well as looking totally cute on my new dressing tables contains a 7.5ml POREfessional, a 7ml Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! foundation in Honey, 2 x 1.5g boi-ing concealers in shades 02 and 03 and 4g of the Hello Flawless pressed powder in Honey.

For £24 I think you get quite a lot of product, particularly as I really wanted to try them out before committing to the full purchase of some of these products. 

POREfessioal is one of those products that I hear raved about all the time, but have yet to try...until now. When I got married I chickened out of buying this and instead brought a Loreal Studio primer instead. I thought this was perfectly OK but after trying this I would not repurchase the cheaper product! It gave my skin an amazing softness which allowed the foundation to glide on so smoothly and left my skin looking almost flawless and more importantly that look lasted all day.

I loved the look of the foundation after my trial, it gives amazing coverage without any cakey feel, instead giving the gorgeous dewy glow that I crave, and is often unachievable without a little high beam highlighter, but this achieved it. The powder set it beautifully without looking over the top.

Oh boi-ing, why oh why did I ever stop buying you! By far one of the best concealers and this little pack has reminded me of this. Not chalky and gets rid of redness and dark circles in one for me. It is quite oily, but that suits my dry skin. A little goes a long long way, and so I can see these 2 little pots actually lasting quite a while.

It was definitely worth buying this to trial the products, so much so that my mother in law is travelling to America in the next couple of weeks and I put the primer, foundation and powder on my Christmas list for her to pick up while she is there!

I have loved re-discovering an old friend, is there anything else you think I should be trying?

Until next time...