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?

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. 

Bobbi Brown Powder & Bronzer

I actually originally purchased these 2 products as part of my wedding make up package back in 2011 and have continued to repurchase them as once again Bobbi has come up trumps and I haven't found any others, cheaper or otherwise that do quite the same job.

The packaging is typical of Bobbi Brown, high black gloss with the white logo across the front. As always very sophisticated, and appropriate for a high end brand. There is a mirror in each of the compacts, which fill the whole lid making touch ups on the go much easier.

Pressed Powder

The make up artist recommended to me shade number 1 which is called 'Pale Yellow'. Ummm not actually a shade I would actually have picked up myself, but I was reassured that this is a mattifying powder, not a powder to add colour. It does exactly what it says on the tin. A small amount of this swept in small circular motions around my face sets my foundation and gets rid of any unwanted shine on my nose and forehead. It doesn't taint the colour of my foundation at all, it is like it is colourless and it is certainly does not leave you with that cakey look you can often get, particularly around spots or on dry patches when using pressed powders. I wouldn't say that it is overly matte, and if used sparingly I am still able to maintain a level of dewyness if that is the look I am going for (which I am usually).

Bronzing Powder

Bobbi Brown has 2 Bronzers within the range, one has a gold glitter sparkle running through it, and the other is a matte. As I originally purchased this for my wedding, I went with the matte and this actually means I am also able to use it more regularly in my everyday make up. Shimmery, glitter face is not really appropriate for a corporate law firm. This is very pigmented so I literally need a small amount on my Bobbi Brown Bronzer brush to give gentle colour on my forehead, t zone and then cheeks. It is also great for building up slightly to contour on the cheeks. I have also been known in the colder months to not use all over my face but as a blusher to add a bit of warmth to my face, and then dab a little bit of golden highlighter over the top for something a little more subtle.

I am thinking that a Bronzer with a slight shimmer may well have a little place in my make up drawer though...

Both of these products last a really long time.. I originally brought them a month before my wedding, so April 2011 and only replaced these in October 2012. You really have to use so little, depending on the look your going for as the powder is so fine and used for controlling shine rather than adding colour and the Bronzer is highly pigmented so to avoid looking TOWIE-esque you just need a fine sweep.

The only thing that could make these products better, is if you only had to buy the compact the first time around (a bit like the personal compacts you can buy and make at Bobbi), and then you could simply buy re-fills as sometimes it does feel rather wasteful throwing away the compacts when the make up is finished.

Another Bobbi Brown winner for me.