FOTD: ArtDeco Palette #1

On my Berlin trip I made myself a palette from ArtDeco. One of the eyeshadow shades I got was an aqua colour and to be honest - it was kind of an impulse buy, that was triggered by the want to get non-neutral eyeshadows. Perplexed by how the heck I was going to pull it off, I attempted something :)

Face:

Dior Diorskin Forever Foundation in 030

Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

ArtDeco Blush in 19

Eyes:

ELF Studio Eye Primer and Line Sealer Stick

MAC Eyeshadow in Honesty

ArtDeco Eyeshadow in 391

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara

K-Palette Real Lasting Finish 24hr Eyeliner

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel

Lips:

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight 700

ArtDeco Blusher in 19; ArtDeco Eyeshadow in 391; MAC Eyeshadow in Honesty

I thought it was a good twist to the typical neutral eyeshadow on top, and blue liner on the bottom look!

It actually turned out pretty wearable, and because of the way my eyes fold, when I open my eyes the blue really stands out the most! This colour, when blended out turns into like an ashy dark blue, but concentrated, it maintains its vibrance so it's a really interesting and multipurpose shadow! :)

I also found a great teal eyeshadow look from TiffanyD, but I don't have any pastel teal colours.. couldn't imagine myself wearing it but I'm a bit curious now! :P

How do you wear bright eyeshadows? :)

<3yu

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June Favourites!

June was a weird month - the weather was weird, my schedule was weird, leaving uni has been weird - it's generally been weird.

My make-up habits has been unusual as well, as I started June with exams, went on holiday for a week, had breaks inbetween and am now off on a holiday in Malta (I should be on a plane atm, screaming obscenities at the turbulence.. as you do) - so lots of inconsistencies and not being in front of my vanity.

That being said, it's kinda shed light to what I have TRULY loved! This favourites is a bit unstructured for that reason, and is just a general bunch of products I've been really impressed by - not necessarily my favourite blush, my favourite eyeshadow, my favourite foundation etc., etc., :) Enjoy!

Here are some better pics of the individual products :)

MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

UNE SkinGlow Pencil in G04

MAC Eyeshadow in Patina

MAC Eyeshadow in Honesty

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt

Also, I've decided I'll start popping up some links to some blogs that I've discovered and/or loved that month, so here goes this month's selection :)

It's the Pretty Things

Oh So Fresh As A Daisy...

Gorgeous M.E.

All these bloggers are lovely people who I've had a chance to get to know on Twitter - definitely go check them out! :)

What were your favourite products this month? :)

<3yu

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The Fate of My Project 15 Pan

I started on January 1st, and it's been 5 months - with one month break last month. It's been very long, and while I hate to quit things I committed myself to, I feel like I'm letting it slip a bit - but at the same time, I think I've got what I wanted from Project Pan.

I've finished 5 make up products and 5 beauty products, and it's gotten me into the habit of wanting to finish things. Also, my collection has grown in a way that only things that I want and use are in there, and I find myself not wanting every single thing I see. I also managed to finish, swap or sell things that I didn't want or need. I find myself in situations where I'm thinking, "I need something like this" and then going out to find it, rather than seeing a review or promotion pictures and thinking "I need that", just because it's pretty or just because it's the hype.

The mission seems to be accomplished, but I still want to say I finished 15 products, so I'll keep on counting, but I don't think I'll be on a strict ban as I'm not the same splurger I was in December anyway - my views on make up and blogging has changed so much!

The reality is that when you love something - like make up - to deprive yourself completely is a punishment that wont do you any good. But I think it's important to be sensible, and that's what I wanted and got from my project pan. These days I read more reviews, explore more in stores because I know I can buy stuff if I want to - and it's so much better this way :)

With that in mind.. here are a few things I picked up before my Berlin holiday - as you can see, no massive splurges, and reasons for every purchase!

Garnier Roll On

Tired eyes after exams, need I say more? I also bargain hunted and got this for £5 at Wilkinson's :)

Natural Collection Lipstick in Rose Petal 

I wanted a baby peach, and went for the brand that everyone seemed to be raving about - but I got a baby pink bordering on concealer lip! I think it'll have to wait til the winter when I'm paler..

Bourjois Healthy Mix in 56

I hated having to use my Dior foundation on days where I was just popping out for a coffee, or when I just wanted to do a video. I also needed a non-SPF foundation after the massive horror that is the flashback of an SPF25 foundation, and I wanted something light to take on my holidays! Everyone had been raving about this, and I committed after Steph's suggestion - it must be good if it's coming from a Chanel foundation addict!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti Chip Top Coat

I am an impatient person when it comes to nailpolish, and I hate it when I have a gorgeous colour but I don't reach for it because I know I'll mess it up before it dries. So I bought this so I can wear any colour I want, and also so I hopefully wont have to be annoyed by chipping nail polish over my holidays :) Hope it works, I have faith in Sally.

See? Nothing too mad :)

I'd recommend Project Pan to anybody - it's a great experience :) Even if I'm not banning myself from buying, I think finishing 10 make-up products is an accomplishment that I'm looking forward to! :D

<3yu

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Review: Dior Diorskin Forever Foundation Review

When I settled on the Dior Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Make Up with SPF 25, a lot of people seemed to show interest in it, and there aren't enough reviews out there in my opinion, so here is my two cents on this foundation :)

Shades:

Firstly, my shade is 030 which is Medium Beige (MAC NC35-ish). The coding system for Dior foundations work so that the second number indicates the darkness, and the last number indicates the tone. For example, 0 is neutral, 1 is warm/yellow-toned, and 2 is cool/pink-toned. I know there is a 050, but not sure about the range inbetween and beyond that. I think this oxidizes ever so slightly, so it's best to keep that in mind.

Packaging:

I'm not a fan of the navy lid, but the frosted glass, the 'CD' imprint on top and the silver band with "DIORSKIN" is gorgeous. However, it is heavy and sturdy-feeling so it's more of a vanity foundation. Also - I feel like it'll be such a waste when I finish it. High end companies should have foundation refills.. who's with me?! *eco-warrior mode*

The pump is great - it's pretty, high-quality, and it's controllable.

Formula:

The formula is quite watery but so incredibly creamy and a dream to blend. You do have to shake it before you use it but it's not as runny as the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or the Bourjois Healthymix (i.e. it's not dripping in the above picture).

A little goes a long way, and I find that the most I use is 2.5 pumps, which is with a duo-fibre brush, and with fingers, I use 1.5 for my whole face.

There is a relatively strong smell, but it does go away after you put the formula on your face. It's a very perfume-y smell so if you are sensitive to smells I'd suggest to give it a sniff before you buy it.

SPF 25 = No no to flash photography.

Some people say light-to-medium coverage, I think it's full on medium. I could even use this as concealer if I wanted to, because it's so light it doesn't cake :)

The Wear:

Absolutely gorgeous. It disappears into my skin, and it really looks as if I'm not wearing foundation. Does it feel like I'm not wearing foundation? Close enough, but it's definitely not heavy!

As an "Extreme Wear" make up, it's supposed to last you through "unfriendly environments". Personally, I think this lasts better on the skin than the esteemed Estee Lauder Doublewear. I find that there's always so much product on my make-up wipe at the end of the day, so I'm not even sure if it DOES wear at all! During the day I never see any creases, no patchiness, no nothing, so I can't really tell until I use a make-up wipe how much is left on my face. I've read reviews that said the person has walked through rain with it on and it was still good :) (Hopefully will never come to that).

I think it's also meant to be transfer resistant but that claim is always a bit dubious cuz most people put blusher/bronzer/powder over it anyway.

The Finish:

I'd say it was a semi-matte finish, and the finish of Forever is as natural as a foundation could be in my opinion - looking at my face in the mirror, I can't really tell that I'm wearing a foundation. If I can't tell, others probably can't either. That being said you do have to take care of dry flakes, because while this is a smooth and creamy foundation that will glide over most, some will slip through and become accentuated.

This formula isn't the best at oil control so I always have to powder my t-zone, but I've been told that the newer formula has done more to tackle this issue - I'm obviously not qualified to comment on that :)

Is this my HG foundation?

I think it's the closest I've gotten, alongside the old Lancome Teint Idole Ultra!

Positives:

- Looks like you're not wearing foundation

- Light-weight

- Medium coverage
- Creamy

- Long-lasting

- Wears away nicely (if it even does wear)

- SPF 25

Negatives:

- Not great at oil control

- Waste of a jar when you're done!

UPDATE: You can buy the new formula from Debenham's for £29.50 :)

Have you tried any Dior foundations? What's your HG foundation?

<3yu

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A Bronzer Phase

A year ago, I don't think I knew what bronzer was! Recently I've been going through a bronzer phase, lusting after bronzers left right and centre! I kinda got this idea from Tiffany, who did a post on her favourite bronzers - I'm 99.9% sure her post is what triggered my bronze lust!

Before I show you the wishlist, I'll show you my collection.. because of my late start on this wonderful tool, my collection is quite lacking..

Clockwise from Top: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, CANMAKE Shading Powder

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

This has been my go-to bronzer for the past month or so - it has a slight pearlescent finish (NOT matte :P) that makes it great for a soft contour. The pigmentation isn't superb, but it's not so bad that you can't get any colour - it's right inbetween, which makes it a no brainer bronzer.

CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation in Copper Bronze 02

This has almost a yellow tone to it, which makes it more of a tanner for me. If a foundation is a bit light, or if I've fake-tanned a bit much, I can dust this over my face and it brings my face back to the right colour. Handy, but I don't reach for it too often.

CANMAKE Shading Powder in 02

This is my favourite matte bronzer, that I use mostly for a sharp contour. It is so finely milled and pigmented, and works great with a MAC 109.

Hard Candy Baked Blush in Bombshell (left)

This one is more of a copper-toned blusher, in that it has a sheen to it, so it can't really be used as a contour, but it works as a bronzer on the cheeks. It's great for a sunkissed look, but sometimes I find it a bit difficult to pull of because of the reddish tones.

MAC MSF in So Ceylon (right)

This is another blusher-type product, but definitely no good for contour. It has more of a pink to it than Hard Candy Bombshell, which makes it a bit easier to wear. That being said, it has the same purpose of giving me a sunkissed look, or for subtle cheeks when I have a lot going on with my eyes/lips.

L to R: CANMAKE Shading Powder, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, Hard Candy Bombshell, MAC So Ceylon.

I think my two favourite bronzers are the CANMAKE Shading Powder and the Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer - those 2 I will more than happily repurchase!

So what am I missing?

The first on my wishlist is the Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel - the infamous cream bronzer. This is mainly for the fact that it's cream, and for its multipurpose functions i.e. as a base, to darken foundation, etc.,

The second is NARS Laguna. I'd like something that's not completely matte but not completely shimmery, and I love the NARS blushers so much that it wouldn't make sense not to try the bronzers!

There's a tie in third place, and that's between Benefit's Hoola and Dior's Original Tan. They are both quite matte, but the thing with Dior's Original Tan is that there are lighter shades that I could use for a subtle contour, where as Hoola is a pretty standard contour, like my CANMAKE Shading Powder - that being said, it's hard to miss out on a raved-about bronzer like Hoola!

What is your favourite bronzer? Any other bronzers that should be on my wishlist? :)

<3yu

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FOTD: MAC's Vegas Volt

I've always loved and looked better in peaches, corals and oranges, but somehow out of fear of having a dupe, I've always found myself buying more pinks and berries - how ridiculous! Realizing how little I actually have of these gorgeous shades, I've been expanding in my blushers and lip products towards peaches and corals.

One such item is MAC's Vegas Volt, that I picked up in Manchester last week. I've been looking for a bright coral, and had Sleek Papaya Punch in mind for weeks, until I gave up searching for it. I'm almost glad I did because Vegas Volt is GORGEOUS.

*Apologies in advance for the crappy pictures - poor natural lighting makes my camera disfunctional..*

An amplified finish, Vegas Volt is extremely creamy and pigmented. I'd say it's a bright coral, that on my skintone, is bordering on red.

This is a great summer shade, and looks amazing with neutral eyeshadow and lots and lots of mascara. This is what I'm wearing today:

Face:

Nivea Ideal Finish Foundation in 04 Sand

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

Nivea Stay Real Blush in Shades of Rose

Eyes:

MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque

ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner in Coffee

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara

UNE SkinGlow Pencil in G04

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel 002

Lips:

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt 

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass, Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Silk Touch Lipgloss in 15 Coral, MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Lipstick.

Like I said, I don't have many peaches and corals, but I thought I'd pop in some swatches comparing some products I thought were similar, just in case some readers had these products and wanted to see what it was like :) I'm a NC35-37 atm in MAC shades :)

What's your favourite coral/peach lipstick for the summer? :)

<3yu

P.S. I've got a clearout blogsale going on Flickr here, if you're interested :) Please comment, tweet or email me if you are!

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Berlin! & Haul :)

I missed you guys!

If you were with me on my birthday, you know that my lovely boyfriend treated me to a few days in Berlin last week - it was AMAZING. I fell in love with the city and the people, and the history has always intrigued me - I did a class on the Cold War, a class on human rights, and I'm doing a degree in human rights so you can imagine how ecstatic and nerdy I was while I was there! :)

Brandenburg Gate

 Schloss Charlottenberg

Inside of the German History Museum - for H :P

 Jewish Memorial

Me & the Ampelmann (Stoplight man!) :)

 Guess what I found in the German History Museum! :P

Nom nom piggy choc. 

The Sony Center

Perving on Cold War historic icons..?

One of the messages on the Berlin Wall.

We also went to the Reichstag, the cathedral, the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche church, the German History Museum, the Topography of Terror museum, Checkpoint Charlie, a huge chocolate shop and so much more :)

To make it relevant to this blog, I'll pop up a video on my city-break make-up bag as well as post some pictures of the mini-haul I did while I was there - I skipped on Duty Free and went straight for the Germany-exclusive goodies! :)

These goodies are from the Niveahaus, which is pretty much a big store full of Nivea goodies that only exist in Berlin, Hamburg and Dubai. I love Nivea as a skincare brand, so went for some face products! :)

Ideal Finish Foundation in 04 Sand

Stay Real Blush in Shades of Rose

Pure&Natural Colours Powder in 07 Caramel

I also got the classic tin lotion, and they gave me the bag, sample deodorant and sun gel as a gift!

Another stop we made was KaDeWe, which is the biggest department store in Europe, and I stopped by the ArtDeco stand which was recommended to me by my friend. I skipped straight to the palette-making section, as I love customizing anything - and ArtDeco has space for blushers too!

This is the palette I made. As you can see, BIG mirror that I used for my whole face. Here is what I put in:

Blush in 19 - Peach, satin finish.

Eyeshadow in 208 - Plummy, brown, frost finish.

Eyeshadow in 45 - Dirty forest green, frost finish.

Eyeshadow in 391 - Aqua blush, shimmery finish.

Sorry for the poor pictures - I was just too anxious to make a post, even if it was getting dark ;P

I also got 2 things in Manchester before we left for Berlin - but I'm sure you will hear about them in the future! :) They are the UNE Skin Glow Eyeliner Pencil and a MAC lipstick in Vegas Volt, which I am wearing here:

I had an absolutely AMAZING time, and just wanna pop in a big soppy thank you to my boyfriend for taking me there and introducing me to a great city (and letting me browse make up!) - even if he does overcompensate when I ask him to smile in pics.. ;)

Anyone else been to Berlin? :)

<3yu

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Warning: Fish & Feet

It's incredible how a trend can spread so quickly - the fish spa is one of them, and when our friend Lisa found one in our local town, Danni, Maria and I were quick to agree to treat ourselves to a session after our exams (except Maria, who sadly starts on Saturday..).

Spa Balik

Yes, the concept is quite simple - you basically stick your feet in a tank full of carnivorous Grim Reaper-esque fish who feast on your dead skin cells. It does sound somewhat suicidal and a bit masochistic but in reality, it's actually quite.. ticklish.

Me & Maria; Lisa & Danni - Photos from Lisa :)

The feeling is surreal - these fish don't actually have teeth, so they're basically nibbling at your feet, and when you've got about 30 of them doing that all over your feet, it almost feels like your feet are vibrating. Do not take Maria's suggestion of spreading your toes, cuz they will get inbetween them and you will end up almost falling off the chair giggling - a la me.

The results? I think it's safe to say that you do come out with softer feet, especially around the toes, but it's no miracle-worker - not in 15 minutes anyway. That being said, it's such a fun experience, that I would definitely recommend giving it a shot some time with a few friends! :)

I would like to try this on my hands some time, as with feet the dead skin is always thicker and you can't really fault the fish for not being as hungry as we want them to be, as they do have lots of feet to eat (we were with another woman, and 2 others came along later). Hands may be more likely to have bigger differences!

Have you ever fed fish with your feet? - sounds quite skilled doesn't it :P

How did you like it? :)

<3yu

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FOTN: Celebrating With.. Who's That Girl?

I'm about to shoot off to a friend's for end-of-degree celebrations with fellow sociologists (sounds like a ball, doesn't it? :P Honestly, we are all normal people.. at heart), and decided to pop up a quick FOTN as it's not what I usually would pick for a night out!

A few weeks ago I posted a FOTD with TiffanyD's yellow make up look, and today I decided to use that tutorial and mixed it with the look Rihanna is wearing in David Guetta and her music video, "Who's That Girl".

Face:

*Dior Diorskin Forever Foundation in 030

*MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

*Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

*Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in 08 Golden Sand

* MAC Blush in Style

*Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

Eyes:

*Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

*Sleek Sunset Palette Yellow E/S

*ELF Brightening Eye Quad in Drama

*Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner

*Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel

Lips:

*MAC Girl About Town

Hope you likey :)

<3yu

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For Audrey, Like Tiffany.

A few weeks ago, Beautylish tweeted this tutorial using China Glaze's For Audrey, and out of boredom I clicked on it - and then got instantly enabled. I so need some nail gems! So off I went to beautyzone2007 and got myself the infamous colour that is supposed to be a Tiffany & Co. box blue. It arrived today and it is GORGEOUS.

In the bottle, it actually looks a bit lighter and duller than a Tiffany & Co. box, which even if it was when applied I wouldn't have minded as it was still a gorgeous colour (it was a bit separated though as you can see in the pic - had to shake it up!). And although I'd just painted my nails the night before, curiousity got the best of me and I tested if it really was the colour of the box..

Pshyeah, it is.

Now this is also my first China Glaze, and the formula is a lot thicker, creamier and more pigmented than I was used to. It reminded me of a thicker version of the Rimmel 60 Seconds polishes.

I have to say that OPI formulas are still my favourite, as with China Glaze I found it hard to get that right amount on the brush so that you have enough to coat your whole nail, but not enough to be blobby and uneven. But the pigmentation is insane, and I think the thick consistency may be to maintain this?

I have always loved the colour range of China Glaze polishes from what I saw on blogs, and For Audrey does NOT dissapoint - I can't stop staring at my nails! And the drying speed is Yu-approved, and there is a good amount of gloss - I am SO impatient with nail polishes, so Yu-approved nailpolish drying speed is very rare ;P.

I do love the packaging, I love how it's unique but cute and the amount you get is very practical (I always wonder if I'll ever actually finish an OPI!).

I'm not a fan of the brush as it's quite round and doesn't have a flat edge (Barry M-esque), but if there is a unique colour from China Glaze, I wouldn't not buy it just because of this. I think if they changed the brush, the thick consistency wouldn't bother me as much!

I just threw in a pic between Barry M Blue Moon and Rimmel 60 Seconds Sky High because I felt like it was kind of the mix of them two - not sure if For Audrey is a bit greener :) All in all, I LOVE this colour, and while I had buyer's remorse when I first got it, I have no regrets anymore!

Do you have a favourite China Glaze shade?

<3yu

P.S. This post is dedicated to Vivianna - cuz she's been wanting this polish, and I need to enable her, for once.

P.S.S Check the new banner, layout and the favicon! :) Do you like?

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5 Beauty Exam Stress Saviours

-Sigh-, I am done with exams. The relief is tremendous!

Anyway, I just wanted to give a bit of a thank you to some things that I felt helped me to keep feeling good about myself and looking, well, decent (at best) throughout the exam period!

All these things are really easy to use, fast to use, made me feel (and hopefully look) 10x better, and are things that I'll turn to when I'm stressed in the future! (It wont be from exams, I'll tell you that much :D)

* MAC Studio Moisture Tint with SPF15 in Medium Dark

There's no particular reason why it has to be the MAC Studio Moisture Tint - it's just the tinted moisturizer that I use, but I do appreciate that it has SPF15 :) It was great for just popping out for a coffee break, and it's super easy to use with fingers, and just evens out the skin-tone with a semi-matte finish.

* Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

I buffed this in after using a very rich moisturizer like the Boots Botanics Day Shift Moisturizing Cream or the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer for Normal/Combination skin, and it gave me a bit more coverage than the MAC Studio Tint. Again, great for coffee breaks, quick and easy.

* Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact Powder in Medium Matte

I'm not a fan of this when applying a harsh contour with a MAC 109, but it is amazing to use as a soft contour with a powder brush like a MAC 129. It claims to be matte but it has the littlest amount of a pearlescent finish, which I think adds to the glow that a natural contour gives. A shimmery bronzer would be overboard, a matte bronzer would look muddy and flat.

Swatch: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzing Compact in Medium Matte

* Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon and Pink Guava (latter not pictured)

I leaned towards the fruity scented lip balms, because they are so refreshing! I feel like sugary ones make you lethargic and minty ones are too dynamic and harsh on the monotonous life of a studying student.. Also, I love these lip balms in general - definitely one of my faves!

* ELF Studio Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter in Medium 

I was flabbergasted when 27vampyr said in her recent monthly favourites video that the concealer end had caffeine in it - the last time I had used it was when I wasn't suffering from tired eyes so I hadn't noticed the kick, and I had always used my Bobbi Brown concealer because I wanted the coverage for my dark circles. This concealer does not give great coverage - but the caffeine is AMAZING. It really kicks your eyes awake! Although this isn't high coverage, it leaves a very natural finish - you could definitely layer a cream concealer on top.

Top: Highlighter, Bottom: Concealer.

So there you have it :)

What beauty products and tips do you use to get you through stressful times? :)

<3yu

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Red Mag's Jemma Kidd Lipgloss in Coral

I'm sure you've heard about this month's Red magazine, which comes with a freebie of Jemma Kidd Make Up School's lipgloss in three shades - a nude, a coral and a red. I already have loads of nudes and have one red lipgloss that I love (Viva Glam Cyndi <3) so I went for the coral - a colour that I have no lip products in.. yet - I know, blasphemy!

Just thought I'd share with you some snaps, and first impressions :)

The packaging is practically the same as the Revlon Super Lustrous lipglosses - same size, same amount just the Revlon lid is shiny and the band is gold.

The formula I felt was very different - while the consistency was similar, it was nowhere near the same pigmentation. However after a few minutes Jemma Kidd's lipgloss felt almost like the ELF Super Glossy Lipshines, when it kinda harden and cling onto your lips making them feel like a layer of thin Wine Gums on your lips.. I personally love that sensation, I also think it makes it a bit more long-lasting!

That swatch has about 3 or 4 swipes, so it is very sheer but even in my pigmented lips I did see coral rather than red, so that is always a good sign :)

I personally didn't think it's worth £14, not just because I prefer more pigmented glosses, but because I didn't see much so special about it, except that it actually came across as coral, not red. It IS good quality and you can tell, but it's a sheer gloss that has good staying power with a pretty standard colour - pretty average overall. But for £3.80, I think it's a steal :)

Did you get any of the Jemma Kidd lipglosses? :)

<3yu

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The Manview: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish.. for Men.

Today's post is a guest post from my boyfriend, Ben. He's been using the Starter Kit for Men from the infamous, Liz Earle, after seeing the great effects of the female equivalent has had on my skin. I took this chance to make sure the girls out there knew what was available for the men in their lives :)

Many men don't put as much emphasis on their skincare routine as girls do, often even skipping the whole thing. So I was (and hopefully you will be) interested to hear what he thought..

"Being the first time, and hopefully last time I have written an entry for a beauty blog, I’m not sure where to start.

The most logical place would be the packaging. The 100ml bottle is fairly standard and has a fairly standard beige colour. It has a pump that makes it easier to dispense, and also acts a measure, as the instructions say to use one to two pump(s) when washing your face.

The colour of the packaging, while not eye catching, serves its purpose and I have to say packaging isn’t everything, I would much rather have a product that works in standard packaging than a product in psychedelic packaging that works less well.

In terms of use, it is fairly easy to use and follows the same type of procedures as other face washes I’ve used in the past. While soaking the muslin cloth in a basin of hot water, you just have to apply one or two pumps of the cream to your face. After that, it is just a case of using the cloth to wipe the cream from your face, rinsing every now and again to keep it clean. Once you have washed your whole face you just rinse your face with cold water and then pat it dry with a towel.

The cloth is a different addition to any other face wash I have used before, and perhaps does make the process longer than others, however the success I've had with this compared to others makes it worthwhile.

Since using the product my skin has cleared up quite significantly, the redness on certain areas of my face has gone down as well as clearing up my pores. When spots do appear though, it hasn’t been the most effective to clear it and it is probably best when used in conjunction with another specific spot treatment."

The new Jimmy Chapman? Judging from the first line, maybe not :P But I've been very impressed at how persistent a guy who's not obsessive about skincare and haircare has been with this product, despite it taking a longer time complete - I think it says quite a bit. I asked him if he'd keep using it after this bottle's done, and he said he would - but with a separate spot treatment product, as he said above.

If you (or your dad, brother, or your other half) has any questions - please do leave them in the comments and I'll forward them on to Ben. You can get the Starter Kit and other goodies from the range, here :)

What kind of skincare do the men in your life use/enjoy? Would you recommend Liz Earle to them? :)

<3yu

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Revealed: Birthday Haul :)

Yes, the title's a bit dramatic but I am going to milk the stuffings out of this one as I can't foresee another big haul in the near future - I'm back on my Project Pan! :P

As you may have seen in my birthday post, I got a lot of make up for myself but didn't really tell you what everything was, or show you swatches - yes, that is all part of the milking.

Accessories/Tools..

MAC 129

I got this from Seanna's blogsale, and it's officially called the "Powder/Blush" brush which is a very apt name in my opinion. As I only ever powder my t-zone, the size is perfect for powdering and it also works really well for blush and natural contouring around the face - love.

Quad

Bought mostly for holiday - not a big fan, I find the way you take out eyeshadows quite damaging to the eyeshadow. Also I refuse to use it outside of travelling as I'm convinced the really strong 'clamp!' of closing the thing will loosen eyeshadows over time and make them easier to break.. paranoid? We'll see.. :P

Rediscovering my love for the drugstore..

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

A mattifying powder was a definite necessity as 1) the warm weather is making me oily quicker and 2) my other 2 mattifying powders have both hit pan and will break instantly if I pop it in my bag/travel with it. I've only used it twice - but am in love.

Eyes..

MAC Brule E/S

I needed a highlight for my new quad and for my holidays, because all of my other highlights are part of other palettes. It's meant to be a satin finish but I think it's quite matte - great for brow highlight :)

MAC Rubenesque PaintPot

A bit of a disappointment - I was hoping for the duo-chrome gold and salmon, but on the eyes it's really just gold. That being said - it's a very pretty gold! So love the colour - it's just not what I wanted. But I love Paint Pots so I don't see myself not getting use out of this :D

MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot

Lips..

L: MAC Honeylove C: MAC Please Me R: MAC Girl About Town

MAC Honeylove

I bought this from Zoe - and while I like the colour, it's just a smidgen warmer than the Faerie Glen from the Tartan Tales collection, so a bit disappointed, as it's 1) a dupe, and 2) not the summer nude I'd hoped for. That being said - atleast I wont be afraid to use up the Faerie Glen ey? :P

MAC Please Me

Favourite of the bunch! Mid-tone, non-nude, warm pink, which on my warm skin, looks cool-toned - I hate it when this happens. That being said, it's bright, but still very appropriate for everyday wear. It's out of my comfort zone as it's pink but I'm learning to like myself in pink :) Love matte finishes!

MAC Girl About Town

Been wanting this for ages, and knowing that, Rachel sold it to me - thank you love! :) Love it - great for those sunny brave days ;)

MAC Jubilee

Never came. Debenhams claimed to have sent it to me but it wasn't in the box, then they offered to send a replacement. The next day they said it was now out of stock and they are now refunding me the 10% off price that I paid for - therefore I can't really get a replacement - absolute bollocks.

Top to Bottom: MAC Honeylove, MAC Please Me, MAC Girl About Town (and imaginary MAC Jubilee. Bastards.)

Cheeks..

L: Illamasqua Creme Blush in Rude, R: NARS Blush in Torrid

Illamasqua Creme Blush in Rude

First off - thoroughly impressed with the packaging. Cheaper than MAC but 100x more detailed/thought-out packaging!

Colour is GORGEOUS. Not a creme-to-powder finish, which preserves the natural look (instead of some blushes that ruin it by making it obvious my cheeks are actually just powder, and ruin that I've not powdered my face), and extremely pigmented - still learning to apply well. Love.

NARS Torrid

So much more buttery-er than Orgasm or Sin, and more of a matte with small gold specks than the sheen of Orgasm (watch video for demo). Finding it hard to work with due to immense pigmentation but that's all part of the fun - VERY pretty and appropriate for summer :) Another love.

Top to Bottom: Illamasqua Creme Blush in Rude, NARS Blush in Torrid.

Overall, a very very VERY loved haul - YAY! :)

Here is a video if you want to know a bit more in detail about what I think about the products. The video includes other products that I got during May, so sorry if it's a bit redundant if you read all my posts :P



What have you gotten recently that you have been loving? :)

<3yu

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