Reflecting on Summer Bourjois

Summer is over (sigh) and I don't think I'm the only one to have noticed that Bourjois has been totally knocking it out of the park when it came to their summer offering. So much so that my make up collection grew significantly while my bank balance unfortunately went the other way.

The number 03 was my first foray into cream blush and I'm not ashamed to say was one of those products that I picked up after being inundated with reviews on other blogs. I really like the finish of that this product gives, going from a blendable cream to a powder finish. There is a slight shimmer and it is very buildable to give that pop of colour. I think this will transition well into Autumn as the colour resembles that flush of colour one might get on a wind swept Autumnal day.

This was one of those products that I wasn't looking for but upon spying it I knew it had to be mine. These photos in the sun show it as a bright orange but it is a pale coral/bright peach that screams summer. 

The brush is amazing making sure that enough product is placed on the nail and in one sweep covers everything. The formula is good and whilst one coat gives great coverage it is a little streaky although the second coat totally sorts that out. A Seche Vite top coat makes this so glossy and long lasting. I've enjoyed having this lovely colour on my nails this summer.

The lipstick offering this summer was great and every blogger in the land was shouting from the roof tops about the Shine collection and the Colour Boost lip crayons. Above I have swatched the two that I picked up (this was me reigning myself in) on the left is Shine Edition in Colour 24 and to the right is the Colour Boost lip crayon in 'Peach on the Beach'.

The Shine collection caught my eye as I had continuously swatched the red offering that they launched earlier in the year but red lips are just not my thing. These are moisturising and seriously glossy with a shimmer running through. They are very similar to the Revlon lip butters.

The Colour Boost crayons are the latest Clinique Chubby Stick dupes. I loved this shade the moment I saw it. One sweep gives a feint glossy sheen and a second coat gives a brighter coral lip - the type that boys don't understand but girls compliment. 

I really like the pens as they are so easy to apply and are glossier than the Revlon offerings as well as not having that horrible minty flavour.

I also picked up the Bourjois Bronzing Primer which I reviewed here.

Have you picked up any new favourites from Bourjois recently?

Nailing It

For me O.P.I was always in the realms of salon only manicures and I only recently realised you could buy these in places like John Lewis (my spiritual home)...where have I been all this time!

Anyway in the States the O.P.I range is available in make up heaven Ulta which is where I picked these up on a 3 for 2. I got one FREE!!!!

I didn't stray too far from the normal here with a nude, pink and red/orange and then went on and painted my nails every day as I couldn't decide which one I loved more.

The first that I picked up was 'Cajun Shrimp'. A vivid red with hint of coral this has livened up my summer fingers and toes. I know that loads of bloggers have swooned over this colour and I am not surprised. I'm in love and I can see this taking me straight through Autumn and Winter by providing me with that much needed pop of colour.

As with all reds it is hard work; the slightest chip will take you from perfectly groomed to scraggy nailed but for me it is worth the maintenance.

 

The perfect nude nail is illusive as far as I'm concerned but this does come close. 'Mimosas for Mr & Mrs' is surprisingly that perfect shade for when you don't want to your nails to clash with your couture like at a wedding. 2 coats will mean your own nail tip shows through but with a creamy and classic finish.

 Last is the baby pink which comes from the OPI Minnie Mouse collection called 'Chic from Ear to Ear'. This plays to my inner child and those days when the only colour that would do was Barbie pink and this is exactly what it is. 

It takes 3 coats to get to the opacity that I prefer and it has a feint fine glitter running through it. This is a frivolous colour if you will and has lasted well through the summer days. I'm not sure it will get quite so many outings as we head into the winter months but I look forward to pulling it out of my nail collection again as Spring starts to show in March.

 

Is this not the most perfect colour collection ever? I could last the rest of my life with just these 3 colours...but what fun would that be!

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?

Hot in Miami

A few weeks ago there was an instagram post with pictures from the USA and then a USA Beauty Haul of some of the goodies that were picked up but I haven't actually posted about some of the wonderful things that we got to do when we were in the great big US of A.

First stop for us was the city of Miami. I'm not going to lie, the reason we went is because we are both obsessed with the television series Dexter and thought that Miami looked like a cool place to visit. 

Warning this is picture heavy.

We arrived in Miami on a Saturday evening. After queuing for what seemed like hours getting through immigration we picked up our convertible treat, popped the roof down and pulled out of the car park...where it was absolutely chucking it down. We looked like such idiots having to stop and pull over to put the roof back up. After a hairy drive to our hotel in the dark and rain, driving on the wrong side of the road we made it. The rain continued but the next day the sun was shining. 

We started the day with a little trip to the beach...I mean come on it was South Beach!!!! Amazing beach and those gorgeous art deco hotels and pastel colours.

 

Oh yeah I was a total geek and carried around my East Coast Lonely Planet like a comfort blanket along with the Trip Advisor city guide app. They both had a couple of walks that would take you around the sights of South Beach so I thought (lesson learnt) that it would be a good idea.

 

I just loved these gates. I mean they have Flamingos on.

 

Our little walk took us to the arts center and its little park outside. It is a weird inside out building but it was quite cool to look at. We happened by chance across the Lincoln Mall. To me an American mall is a massive out of town building but this was so not that and so cool and different. First of all it was all outside. So a bit like a really big (clean and well manicured) high street. As it was a Sunday there was a market on, and lots of restaurants serving brunch. 

In Lincoln mall were these 2 buildings that I had to take photos of. The first is the first church in Miami and it was just so cute and I loved how it looked. The second is an old style movie theatre which I felt just totally epitomised the architecture and art deco style that Miami is famous for.

The next little find was Espanola Way which wasn't much to behold on a sleepy Sunday morning but...

...we headed back that night and it had transformed into a little Spanish style piazza. A lively street with restaurants and pastel ice cream parlors  and magical lighting. It was buzzing in the evening and we had our alfresco dinner at a Cuban style restuarant yum yum.

The walk wasn't such a great idea because let me tell you it was HOT HOT HOT which made it almost impossible to enjoy. So we headed back to the hotel and grabbed our car to go cruising around South Beach including Ocean Drive which we were unable to stop on so there are no photos :-(

Such a massive fan girl - on my itinerary (and trust me there was an itinerary) was a trip to DASH. Lots of skinny and expensive clothes in here but picked up a few souvenirs for my equally obsessed sister.

A couple of food highlights. The first was an amazing mojito from the Cuban restaurant. For obvious reasons it wasn't Cuban but the restuarant had over 40 types of rum and so I had to get the waiter to talk me through a few options. I choose well and thoroughly enjoyed this.  The second is the husbands hot dog. I should have put his arm next to it so you could see the size of it. My lunch was Calamari which turned up on a huge platter and on further inspection was a pound of the battered rings! I just thought this was so American - large hot dog, wrapped in ham covered in warm cheese *food memories*.

 

Organising a trip like this is difficult and I was really struggling to work out where to stay. I randomly tweeted Ruth from A Model Recommends because I had seen a few posts of hers from Miami and so wanted to see if she had any recommendations. She did have a few and I went for Townhouse. This is just on the corner of 20th Street and Collins Avenue so in the middle of all the action in South Beach. Its a paired back, relaxed boutique hotel that has no art deco elements about it at all. It is white, white, white with highlights of red all over it and so cute that you get a Townhouse beach ball on your bed.

A cool roof terrace was our respite on the afternoon after our little tour around South Beach and if you craned your neck over the balcony and looked right you could just see the ocean.

 

Our second day in Miami really was a highlight and I was able to tick off one of the 3 things I had on my 'must do' list for our trip and that was swimming with dolphins.  We headed to downtown Miami to the Seaquarium where we had booked ourselves on the Dolphin Odyssey. 

In small groups we were invited into the pool to meet the dolphin pod that we would be interacting with. There are 3 different pods at the seaquarium and they take it in turns to work and play. The instructors are really entertaining and informative about the animals you are sharing the water with and know who each of the dolphins are and their individual personality traits. 

We got to do a few tricks and feed the dolphins and watch them from underneath the water. They were real posers and we were able to have a photo together cuddling the dolphin. A couple of times we had to get out of the water because they were misbehaving a little. The finale was the dorsel fin pull to the other side of the tank. It is just amazing to see how powerful but graceful these animals are.

The last photo is the peacock at the seaquarium who put on a full display for us and just looked stunning in the fading Miami sunshine.

We ended the day driving to Orlando.

Have you been to Miami and if so what did you get up to?