Winter Favourites

 

What better time to write this post than when the first hints of spring are starting to show; the plants are starting to grow, days are getting longer and the promise of the Easter Bunny is looming. 

 

This collection of favourites has a definite neutral theme to it that is for sure. In my opinion there is nothing better than 'no make up' make up look that pulls you together when the dark days are getting to you. Classic and timeless. All of these items have seen sufficient use over the last few months in a bid to banish me of my winter blues!

From left to right

This perfect nude nail polish has been gracing my tips almost constantly since Christmas and my desire to wear all things red and/or glittery had run its course. Aptly named shade 372 in 'Nude'. Ever since I discovered KIKO I have loved their nail varnishes. Easy application, a great range of colours, long lasting and a bargain too boot!

I am lucky enough to have a International Santa and one of the things top of my cross-Atlantic wish list was the L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in the US only shade of 'Amber Rush'. Many a UK beauty blogger has raved about this and I can tell why. This is without a doubt the perfect rose gold eye shadow and I know that is a bold statement. I cannot tell you how many people have commented on it when I am wearing it and I have to admit a little bit of me delights in telling them it can only be found in the US.

The swatch below is literally a small press into the pigment and a swipe which shows you just how intense it is. Use a primer underneath and it lasts and lasts and lasts!

Onto some skincare and a desperate need to pep up the moisture levels in my severely winter dehydrated skin! Hydraluron is a sticky gel that you put on your face before your full moisturiser and eye cream. There is lots of science behind it - I'll leave that for you to find out for yourself - but it definitely keeps things the right side of moisturised on those cold and windy days. 

Continuing on the KIKO theme this was more of an impulse purchase whilst standing in their packed Westfield Stratford store on the 27th December. The Crystal Sheer Glossy Lipstick in 'Coral Pink' won me over with the packaging. A push down top and iridescent finish *swoons*.

Luckily the product itself is just as awesome. It looks like a bullet of highly pigmented colour but what you are left with is exactly what it says on the tin - a sheer glossy coverage - that leaves enough moisturing colour to perk up that dull winter skin. Its' lasting power is in the same realm as a lip gloss but it is certainly easy to re-apply and even easier to wear.

More eyes and another drug store winner in my opinion. The Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet also gives a great intense shimmer to the lids. Can anyone tell that I love a good shimmer finish! This stuff is a great neutral bronze colour that stays and stays and stays. Blended with a fluffy brush and a slick of mascara your eyes are good to go!

Last but by no means least is the piece de resistance in this group of seasonal favourites, the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I literally squealed like a child when I opened this on Christmas Day and it has had a special place in my heart ever since. 

Any type of look needed is easy with this beauty. Paired down neutral, sparkly date night or full on smoky this does not disappoint. I definitely now want the Naked 2. 

Enough said...this is all over the blogosphere with rave review after rave review and much better swatch photos than I would ever achieve so instead I will just leave you with some photos so that you can salivate to yourselves. 

Laura Mercier Shimmer Effect Mini Caviar Stick Eye Colour Collection

This was a case of not being able to resist after spying these in the Space NK Christmas 'lust-fest' catalogue. 

I am loving cream shadows at the moment and think they are really having their moment with both high end brands and in the drug store. Although, I have stuck with potted colour from Bobbi, Smashbox, Maybelline and even more recently Bourjois but I haven't really been impressed with their crayon cousins..I am looking at you Chubby Sticks.

This Christmas set contains four miniture eye crayons in great wearable shades which are brightening and vibrant even in one swipe. Whilst all very wearable I don't think that I would be able to use all three of the light shades together which does limit them as a package but the darker colour (amethyst) does work with all of them individually.

Below and above from left to right are the colours: rose gold, amethyst, pink opal and sugar frost. In the swatches I've included one swipe on the left followed by a double swipe on the left.

Amethyst is a really deep shade and works well in the crease for a blended out smokey eye or flicked out into a cat eye using a MAC 217. The lighter colour 'sugar frost' has been functioning as an easy to use highlighter on the brow bone and inner corner of the eye. 

For me though the winner is the rose gold. Mainly because I have been amassing a huge collection of rose gold shades in both powder and cream formulas. I am just loving this shade right now. I used this crayon for a muted day look and even without primer it lasted all day with no creasing. 

A great little stocking filler or just a Christmas treat for yourself. Found here at Space NK.

Silver & Sparkle Birthday Wishlist

My birthday is in one week and I have been mentally compiling my wish list for a little while...well 364 days to be exact. Here are just some of the things I am wishing for this year.

Laura Mercier Smokey Violets

Laura Mercier is a brand that I haven't really looked at before but recently I have been gravitating towards that stand every time I visit my local Space NK or John Lewis. The products are high end so good quality with high levels of pigmentation coupled with chic packaging which will give the classic look I long for. 

The Christmas collection really caught my eye this year and has also managed to indulge my love of make up palettes...

Lust at first sight with the Laura Mercier Colour-To-Go in Smoky Violets. Anything with a different way of presenting the products and I just can't contain the excitement and this palette features a double decker design.

Open the first layer and you are confronted with a full mirror and the piece de resistance as far as I am concerned the eye colours that give the palette this name.

From left to right you have the trio of eye shadows, soft with great pigmentation and easily buildable and blendable for a basic day look or something a little smokier for the evening. In the far left we have the luster finish in 'Violet Steel' and in the middle a matte 'Plum Smoke', to the right there is another luster finish to be used as a highlighter which is a 'pink champagne' shade. The darkest shade in the palette is a tight liner in exclusive shade Violet Asphalt. Use a damp liner brush to get the right depth of colour otherwise it is all just a bit 'meh'.

Open up the second level and there is a beautifully presented bronzing powder in 'Golden Bronze' a second skin cheek colour in 'Barely Pink' and one of the famous lip glacé products in a nude 'After Hours'. I really really do like the finish that the blusher gives you and is different to other things that I have as it is matte rather than a little shimmery. A little does go a long long way so I will definitely be checking out some of the other colours.

The lip product has a milky finish and a lovely pink nude colour which again is different to anything that I have but I'm afraid that is where the things I like about this end.  It does have a tendency to look a little 'gloopy' and sticks to any dry spots that you have on your lips. It also has the most horrific smell, I think it is supposed to be chocolate / coco butter but there is an underlying chemical plastic scent that makes me want to gag. For now it can just stay in the palette and continue to look pretty which it definitely does.

This is definitely going to be in my make up bag through out Christmas especially when we travel home as it is practically a whole face in one beautiful packaged palette. 

It can be found at Space NK for £31.00 here.

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.

MAC & Smashbox Payday Treats

Well it didn't take long to grab a treat or two once pay day arrived. These two items were definitely heart over head purchases. 

The first is the MAC Antonio Lopez face palette in Coral. These palettes have amazing designs on the compact cover, which to me seem very 80's retro and to be honest just looks great in the make up drawer. OK and I am definitely jealous of those lips!

Behind the cover is a full sized mirror (always a plus for me) with a delightfully displayed golden peach highlighter for that iridescent shimmer on top of the cheek and then a satin powder blush in the shade coral (obviously).

This blusher has some serious pigmentation and a little goes a long way but unfortunately the same cannot be said for the highlighter which is a little bit 'meh' in my opinion. 

Then for the best bit...the top layer pushes to one side which just excites me so much. Pushed to one side it reveals a terracotta base bronzer/contour powder. This is particularly orange for me and so I do use it sparingly but the powder is wonderfully soft and blends beautifully .

Summer will live on just a little bit longer with this item in my make up collection and it can be part of your collection here. 

Smashbox is one of those brands that I don't really know much although everyone raves about their primers. I have recently been really interested in cream eye shadows mainly because I don't necessarily need to use a brush for the wash of colour I'm likely to add at 7.15am in the morning when the less work required the better. 

The packaging is similar to that of other premium brands - glass jar and black rubberised top - so no points there for individuality although it does look and feel premium.

I am afraid I don't get any points for individuality either when I picked up the limitless 15 hour wear cream shadow in the very natural looking rose gold colour toned 'Quartz'.

This shade is extremely wearable and as it says on the tin long wearing, although I do use the Urban Decay eye primer underneath. It is packed full of shimmer and so can give a sheer wash of colour (bottom swatch) or can be packed on to give a more vibrant opaque glimmer (top swatch).

I've used this on its own and also as a base colour when building a smokey eye for evenings and get just as a good coverage and staying power whether it has been applied with fingers or a brush.

These are very much welcome additions to my make up stash.

Blog Sale Buys

So a couple of weeks ago the lovely Emma from Glossy Boutique had a little blog sale and I just so happened to log on to bloglovin when this was at the top of my feed. It took me all of a couple of minutes to have sent her an email asking for these 2 premium products.

The first being this gorgeous Clarins Odyssey palette in 09 which a little google has shown me is from last years Christmas collection. Look at how amazingly gorgeous the gold packaging with motif is. 

You open this up and the first thing you see is the GLITTER and I was excited. The other colours that you get a beautiful nude shimmers offering just the right amount of sheen to make them constantly wearable. Wearable is an understatement because I shed a little glitter tear when I have to take these off at night - I've been wearing them everyday.

I've been wearing the lighter shade all over with the top left mid-brown in the creases. The dark brown is great for a smokey eye, but it makes a great eyeliner a little less harsh than black which I apply with a damp brush to get the best colour pay off. 

The glitter is amazing and is best patted on and I've been loving it in the corner of my eyes. Below are some quick swipes but I can attest to them also looking amazing when applied with a damp brush. 

I've never really been interested in Clarins make up but I now can't wait to see what they have in store for us this Christmas. 

 

The second thing I picked up was the Hello Flawless powder in the shade 'Honey' which I had previously been colour matched to at the Benefit counter. 

There is not too much to say about this other than it is a seriously mattifying powder that does give you that flawless finish. It took a little while to get used to it and I was a bit heavy handed at first and suffered from the dreaded 'cakey' look. 

I have now got to grips with it and use it on my T-zone and nose on those days where I need a long lasting non-shiny look!

Thank you Emma for these lovely pieces and I will definitely be making purchases from blog sales again if something catches my eye. 

Have you managed to buy some lovely things from blog sales? Link them up so that I can read your reviews.