Review / Pür Minerals

Exciting new launch to share with you today!

Pür Minerals is a leading american brand of mineral make up that is going strong for over 10 years and  it has now arrived in Uk.

I was kindly sent the Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup* to try out.

I was very intrigued to give it a go since, I must admit, I had never heard about this brand before.

I like the dotted design both on the box and the actual item: sleek and substantial compact with a mirror to pop in your handbag.
I have blush medium which is a great match for me but the range comes in 10 shades, which is a decent number, and you're bound to find a colour that suits you too.

This pressed foundation feels very smooth on the skin and doesn't accentuate lines or dry skin.
But what does 4-in-1 mean? The product is a foundation, powder, concealer and SPF15... how about that for multi tasking!
Personally, I can vouch for it: I have never achieve such a high coverage from any other powder before. 

There is also a specific brush - Chisel Makeup Brush -  to go with the powder and I got to say this is a match made in heaven!
I didn't think much about the brush, when I first saw it, but I was blown away as soon as I tried it out. It just collects the right amount of product and the short and chubby handle blends to a consistent, uniform finish. 

It also let you build to a decent coverage which is great if, like me, you have issues with uneven skintone. Definitely looking into buy a couple more of those.

yep, I need an haircut :S

Pür Minerals includes a full range of make up essentials like primers, eye and lip products, mascara and liquid foundations and it is now exclusively available from Marks & Spencer You Beauty stores.

Introducing / Laura Mercier

Today I'm going to talk about Laura Mercier make up.

I have had these products for a little while now so I had a proper chance to use them and form an opinion about them.

First off, the Mineral Powder SPF15 in Real Sand - my favourite item of the lot.

I love love this powder, it's so fine and leaves such a beautiful finish.

You can see, in the picture below, the subtle radiance and flawless look on my hand.

Then I decided to get a primer too and I went with Mineral Foundation Primer to use in conjunction with the foundation.

It's got a nice velvety feeling and helps keeping the top layer in place but I don't think it makes a difference in the appearance of my skin. I wouldn't buy it again, to be honest.

Finally, the Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-3.

This is great for spots but - fortunately - i don't get many so I don't get a great use out of it.

It is too dry for under eye but, because of the dryness, it sets very nicely when covering blemishes.

Also, I don't like the packaging: the plastic feels cheap and the  mirror doesn't fit properly - I would expect a bit more from an high end brand like Laura Mercier.

I'm really pleased with the results... so have you tried any of these products?

What do you think about Laura Mercier?

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Review / Chanel Ombres Perlees de Chanel

Few days ago, I was organizing my make up and realised that I never shared a couple of palettes that I own -  I thought It would make a nice series  to talk about them on the blog.

As mentioned, these are not new products so I apologise in advance if they look a bit grubby.
Let me start with Chanel Ombres Perlees de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette.

The palette is the classic black with white monogram compact, it comes with 4 sponge applicators and 1 bristles one (which are not that bad, actually) and very good size mirror.

This limited edition set contains 5 eyeshadows and came out for the Spring 2011 Collection.

I remember not being particularly taken by the visual of the collection but I was impressed with the consistency of product, once swatched in store... we're talking about pre-Illusion d'Ombre here.

Whilst Illusion d'Ombre are spongy-like, these shadows have more a buttery consistency and although the colours are pretty fair/pastels, the colour pay-off doesn't disappoint.
You can check out the Illusion d'Ombre that I have got here - if you wanna make a comparison... the white shade is very similar to Fantasme, colour-wise.

The shades are: pearly white with a hint of gold, metallic pink with warm undertone, dirty purple, khaki green and a muted black/charcoal. They all have a metallic sheen, thanks to a very very very fine glitter.

What do you think? I think these colours are stunning on their own or as a base to add an extra dimension to other eyeshadows.

They apply smoothly and in a thin layer and - even after a couple of years - I still like this palette very much and I'm glad I bough it! :)
xxx

Recent Buys

I got this t-shirt in Zara - I have a soft spot for pugs so I couldn't resist... I think it's a cool top!

I also just finished catching up on True Blood S05 so right into vampires as well ;)

I have been keeping an eye on this Warehouse Colour Block Parka since I saw it in autumn - I got in the sale for £49.50, down from £95... I think you can't go wrong with a coat for under 50quid.

The photo is not doing it justice, really: it looks like a designer, expensive coat with its sleek cut. 

Finally, I also picked up this Lace Collar Blouse from Warehouse.

 I think the sheer fabric and the cream colour makes this shirt the perfect romantic addition to any wardrobe; the pretty lace applique on the collar is gonna look great against a winter sweater, too.

Haul / FeelUnique

Last week, I placed a cheeky order on FeelUnique.com; most of the products had been reduced for the sale so I decided to cross few items off my wishlist ;)

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

 I'm sure you all know this spray and I've been looking forward to try it myself for a while too. I didn't want to commit to a full size bottle so I picked up the 30ml bottle for under a tenner.

I was, mostly, worried about the scent but so far It doesn't bother me - hopefully I will see an improvement on the appearance of my skin too.

bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 Limited Edition in The Rare Find

 There is another limited edition quad, The Happy Place, which is also stunning but I decided to go with this one because of the more 'unusual' shades. 

I, totally, fell in love with Eureka from this palette as soon as I saw it; I adore my Becca Line + Illumited Pencil and I use it quite a lot but I don't have any olive/khaki shadows.. so you can say it was overdue. ;)

I also can't wait to try Frisson, which is a matte reddish brick colour - should work well with green eyes.

These bareMinerals shadows are just fantastic: the quality is really good and are some of my favourite eye products! I also have one of their duo - you can check it here!

Yes to Cucumbers On-the-Go Cucumbers Essentials Kit

Finally, I bought this samples kit from Yes to; I haven't tried Yes to before so I was curious to give it a go and I chose the Cucumber line because it's targeted for sensitive skin.

Have you tried this brands before?

xxx

Review / Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer

I was sent this product to review by Hairtrade.com, the Uk's leading online retailer of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products.

I've been wanting to try out the Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer* since I heard Pixiwoo raving about it about a year ago, so I had high expectations for it.

First off the packaging - I really like this elegant wee bottle! 

Although it contains a foundation and a concealer, it's still compact enough for travelling.

At first, I thought the bottle was glass but it's made of plastic instead, a bonus for my-accident-prone-self.

On the top, you have a lid with the concealer & a decent mirror and then a screw top below, with the foundation. The foundation also comes with a spatula to scoop the product out: both practical and hygienic.

I wasn't sure about the colour to pick, at first - after a quick browse online, I decided to go with Porcelain, the lighter shade, because Beige looked a bit too yellow for me.

Luckly enough, Porcelain turned out to be a good match - I will need to darken it a bit in the summer but I can wear it without any correction now and avoided an unflattering undertone for my skin.

First of all I must say that every time I try a new foundation, I compare it to my all time favourite: Nars Sheer  Glow Foundation. It's fair to say that this is the foundation I chose for my wedding so the benchmark is pretty high! I have tried some good - actually really good - foundation in 2012 but nothing could quite compare to the Nars one.

Until now! Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance is a foundation with a capital F!

The formulation melts into the skin; I like to apply it with my fingertips and the heat helps to blend it into a second - better - skin.

It delivers everything I want in a foundation - that radiant and dewy look - with an invisible beautifying finish. It's still nicely buidable, yet undetectable.

The concealer sets nicely and effortless to apply, thanks to the creamy texture; unfortunately my dark circles are just too severe so I have been using it as a corrector around my eye area.

Instantly pleased with the results... what do you think??!

BirchBox / January 2013

When I read that JolieBox had become BirchBox, I decided to re-subscribe!

The box was delivered by Yodel this morning - actually I don't have much faith in them as they always seem to f**k up our deliveries but no complaints this time.

The box itself looks like is made from recycled cardboard and it comes in a pink packaging, which wasn't sealed. The products are inside a pink string bag like JolieBox used to do and a small magazine.

Here is the content of my box:

Fresh Sugar Rose' Lip Treatment - this product alone made the box for me. Been wanting to try the Fresh Sugar lip balms for a while... so very excited to see it! 

The wee sample size tube is really cute too. :)

Kms California Free Shape Quick Blow Dry - this is a dual-phase spray that acts as a detangler and should help hair dry faster. I will definitely try it out and see if it makes any difference time-wise... fingers crossed.

Taaj Hand Cream - another lovely and useful product; unfortunately, I didn't have much luck with the Taaj cleanser because it stung my eyes but looking forward to try something else from this brand.

Wei White Lotus Moisture Rich Eye Blend - another brand that I have never tried but was on my wishlist. I received the eye cream - and happy about it - with moisturizing and firming properties. Decent sample size.

Teapigs Chamomile Tea - I really like chamomile tea so I'm happy! :)

All in all, I'm pleased with this box, although not blown away - the Fresh Sugar lip balm definitely had a lot to do with that... I think I will get another box and then I'll take it from there.

I also noticed people getting an 'extra beauty' item - anybody else's missing I Coloniali sample?

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