Boots Haul

I finally picked up the Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush; I’ve been wanting to try it for a while but it was always sold-out in store. It is the same great quality as the rest of the line, it’s also convenient for travelling but still remaining a full size brush. I like to use it both for blusher and setting powder.

L’Oreal Nails a Porter in 002 Killer Nude – I picked these up to try out. I have never use fake nails before – they just seem so uncomfortable to wear – but I loved the design of these. 

Essie Nail Polish in Aruba Blue – this was a long overdue purchase. I adore this colour and blue polishes are my favourites! Not much to say in words, it’s simply stunning and the pictures are speaking for themselves, me think.

Yes To is a brand that I’m been testing lately; I tried the Yes To Cucumber Soothing Facial Wipes before and loved them so I picked up another full pack. I also wanted to try the new brightening Grapefruit line and I  bought the Yes To Grapefruit Uneven Skin Tone Dark Circle Correcting Eye Cream, which sounds fab to help lighten my dark circles… will see how it fairs.

Review / L'Oreal Paris L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick

The latest release in the lips department from L'Oreal Paris are the L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick by Color Riche*.

The innovative formula contains luxurious micro-oils infused with colour pigments that allow a feather-like weightless wear on the lips.

The product glides on the lips, it's not sticky and the lips feels cushioned and; you can achieve an opaque colour in just 1 swipe with an high gloss finish.

I don't find they stain the skin, instead they are nourishing and not drying; longevity is a bit compromised but I don't mind re-apply during the day - especially with such a stylish packaging too.

The array of colours is gorgeous and you can choose from 9 extraordinary shades:

Rose Melody is a flattering pinky nude, or you can go for Molto Mauve - a purple neutral; if you prefer a bold lipstick instead, you should pick up Fuschia Drama - a cool toned, bright magenta - or Rose Symphony - a bang on trend coral with gold sparkles (also my favourite, btw!)

Are you a fan of the gloss/lipstick hybrid?

Manga Fever!

I’m sure you have noticed the Manga trend in make up, recently.

The imagery accompanying the products are definitely charming, cartoonish and fun. Bigger is better - in some cases - like mascara and brows in this instance.

Neve Cosmetics Manga Brows* - This brow pencil comes in 3 shades: ash blonde & cold brown, warm blonde & soft brown, rich brown & black brown.

The double-ended pencil has 2 different colours, both complementing your colouring and that will let you create a natural, yet  tridimensional and expressive look. You can use the light colour to map the shape of the brows, then add definition, drawing hairs with the darker colour; finally, comb the hair with the spoolie brush that is also included. This technique is really easy, even if you're not an expert.
 The product feels waxy on application and last all day. It's also free from parabens, silicones and petroleum derivatives; suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

L’oreal Paris Mega Volume Mis Manga Mascara - The wand reminds me of the Lancome Hypnose Star mascara: it has the same conical shape but rounder. I don’t feel that the pivot makes that big of a different and I was actually pleasantly surprised that it's not too flexible and easy to manoeuvre.

I quite like it! It does grab even the smallest lashes and it’s the perfect compromise between fibre and plastic wands. 

It's extremely lengthening and works well on lower lashes too; it does tend to clump after few coats but that helps achieving the 'promised' Manga look. 

The product itself is also easy to remove, it’s not the wettest formula - although still too wet for my liking (but I’m sure that that will improve in a matter of weeks). All in all, I would recommend it.

FOTD & OOTD / Wedding Guest

Hello lovelies!
I attended an amazing wedding at the weekend - some dear friends got married in a beautiful Scottish location, the bride was stunning and we had a fantastic time.
Since I got all dolled up, I thought I would take full advantage of the occasion... and make a post out of it! :P

***
Dress: Oasis
Earrings: Swarovski
Nails: Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliques in Royal Burgundy


Face - Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in deauville, Urban Decay Dew Me Moisturizing Make Up Setting Spray, Benefit High Beam, Mac Sheertone Blush in blushbaby, Guerlain Meteorites Perles in teint rose', Kiko Fierce Spirit Sun Bronzing Blush in 103 mariachi pink;
Eyes - Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in permanent taupe, Kiko False Lashes Concentrate Building Base Mascara, Neve Cosmetics Pastello Natural Eyeliner in cincilla', Chanel Inimitable Mascara, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara;
Lips - Neve Cosmetics Pastello Natural Lipcolor in sfilata/amaranth, L'Oreal Paris Glam Shine Balmy Gloss in mad for pomegranate.

New In / L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Les Blancs Collection

Pastel nails are my absolute favourite all year round and they certainly epitomise Spring for me.

This Spring is no exception and 2014 twist on the trend comes from L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Les Blancs Collection*.

As the name suggests - Les Blancs - they are white polishes infused with a drop of colour; the names are just as adorable as the shades: Peach Neglige, Nouvelle Vague, Pistachio Drage and Lemon Meringue.

White nails look contemporary and sleek but can also notoriously look chalky and streaky; the polishes  apply smoothly thanks to Colour Riche stretch technology formula and have a shine porcelain finish. 

The hint of colour also makes them elegant and very feminine; every shade is more stunning than the other and perfect for every occasion! 

My favourites are Pistachio Drage - the dreamier minty shade - and Lemon Meringue - the more daring canary yellow one.

I can't wait for summer! These pale hues will compliment beautifully tanned skin and the combinations are endless... so stay tuned for more fun ideas! :)

Haul / Beauty Swap

Few weeks before Christmas, my sister came over to the UK, so we arranged for a beauty swap; they are basically items that we were not using anymore/didn't suit us so we donated them to the other one.

I think I got some pretty good items here:

Helena Rubinstein Color Clone Subli-Mat Foundation in 22 Rose' Apricot - I've been wanting to try this foundation for a while and it didn't disappoint! It feels like silk on the skin and it transforms into powder, once blended; I think this is perfect for warmer countries (I will definitely invest in a bottle to use when I'm in Italy), because it does stay matte and perfect for many hours and it has an SPF12, too. It's such a shame that Helena Rubinstein is discontinued in UK, I think it's amazing quality make up and often snubbed when people do holiday hauls; I heartily recommend to check this brand, next time you're in Sephora - the mascaras and velvet lipsticks are my favourites.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill in 10 Airy Jade - She has 3/4 of these and she let me choose one; I picked this frosty silver with blue undertones because I don't have anything similar in my collection; the consistency is dreamy and I've been looking forward to try one of these for a while. It's also beautiful just in the inner corner, paired with a deeper blue.

Shiseido Hydro Powder Eye Shadow in H13 Clover Dew - The prettiest mint colour for eyes. I think it can look really nice as a simple wash of colour in Spring, without looking outdated. The formula feels very creamy to the touch but transforms into powder, on application; I'm impressed! I was definitely expecting more creasing but they are actually true to their claim.

L'Oreal Color Infallible in 026 Golden Mahogany -  I was so excited about this colour! I'm not sure if this was ever released in UK, but I've been looking for this shade since I saw it on a Canadian youtube channel, over a year ago; then, my sister spotted it at a jumbo sale and got it for me! :)

Kiko Fierce Spirit Sun Bronzing Blush in 103 Mariachi Pink - This blusher is perfection! You get a blush, highlighter and bronzer in one and the 3 colours combined are the most stunning and flattering shade. I'd actually been 'borrowing' it during the summer, so she finally gave it to me since I love it so much… awww… :) 

If you get the chance to try any Pupa Make Up, definitely invest in these Multiplay Triple-Purpose Eye Pencil. They come in every possible colour of the rainbow, they are super soft to work with and long lasting. I have no. 22 (Silver) and no. 24 (Green), which I've been in love with forever; I like to use them on the lower lashline to brighten up the eyes.

Kiko Eye Pencil in 102 is another pretty lilac shade - not as soft as the Pupa pencils but still a decent eye product, especially for the price. 

Finally, you may have already spotted the Essence Happy Holidays Nail Sweets in action, here & here. I had fun using them and they are quick to apply too; they come with glue - similar to false lashes - and I have to say that they lasted longer than expected on the nails. 

Any particular product that caught your eye? :)

Empties / December 2013 + Mascara Round-Up

Happy New Year lovelies!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful start to 2014.

I didn't finish many products this month, however I decided to add an end of the year mini mascara reviews.

Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel: I'm actually falling in love with Yes To… ranges; this eye cream is no exception. It feels fresh and hydrating and  I also think my concealer looks better when applied above this gel. I like to keep it in the fridge to enhance the cooling effect of the gel.

Repurchase: Yes 

REN F10 Smooth And Renew Mask: I like all the masks that I have tried from REN but I think they are all very similar; like the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (which is my favourite), this is a chemical exfoliant that eats at the superficial layer to reveal a smoother skin.

Repurchase: Maybe 

Lavera Hand Cream: at first I loved this cream but soon the scent started to annoy me; It's just too herbaly for my liking, I wish it would just smell like almond & shea butter - the main ingredients. It's a shame because I like the fresh consistency: it really feels like a splash of water and dries super fast.

Repurchase: No

First Aid Beauty Gentle Body Wash: this wee bottle had been sitting in my cabinet for far too long. Scent-free and nothing special in my opinion.

Repurchase: Nope

I'm definitely guilty of not changing my mascaras enough but I recently bought some new ones and I kept these for this post; as a rule of thumb, I don't like wet formulas and I prefer volume to length.

THUMB UP: 

One of my favourite mascaras of all time is Clinique High Impact Mascara; I usually prefer a plastic wand to the fiber but this one is super soft and flexible and create amazing volume effortlessly. 

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara does exactly what it says on the tube - create tons of volume! As mentioned above, I like the short plastic teeth of the wand that are great to coat even the shortest lashes.

Benefit Bad Gal Blue Mascara: not a big fan of the huge brush and it dried out pretty fast but I always got loads of compliments for the colour.

t-b: Benefit, L'Oreal, Clinique

NEUTRAL: 

These mascaras didn't particularly impress me but I didn't hate them either. ;)

Ellis Faas mascara is impressive to hold the curl but the wand is too long, which makes it awkward to apply; I like the brush of the Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara which is flat on one side; I'm not a fan of scented mascara tho and this one has a strong floral smell.

t-b: Ellis Faas, Lancome

THUMB DOWN:

I know that many people like the Revlon GrowLuscious Mascara but it just didn't work for me: I think because the brush is too big and I couldn't really get in there at the root of the lashes; it also stung my eyes when removing it at the end of the day. Similar experience with the Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara that has an even bigger brush.

The downfall of the Collection 2000 Extreme Coloured Lenghtening Mascara is the quality; maybe mine was faulty but it was completely dry from the beginning… and I like dry mascaras so enough said. The colour simply didn't transfer and was flaky - shame because the brush looks good!

t-b: Revlon, Soap & Glory, Collection 2000

Anyway, I enjoyed having a wee break from the blog and just spend the holidays with the family… but now I'm looking forward to another year filled and shared with beauty with you! :)
xxx

New In / L'Oreal Paris Glam Shine Balmy Gloss

L'Oreal has recently released their own version of lip crayons in the form of L'Oreal Paris Glam Shine Balmy Gloss.

I had a glimpse at these when I was in Italy during the summer and they looked very promising under the bright light of Sephora. Well, they are still as glorious and perfect to brighten these Scottish autumnal mornings.

I find the packaging very attractive with the silver shine finish; the shades also are juicy and the tip glides smoothly on the lips.

The finish is glossy and I was pleasantly surprised with the colour saturation too.

909 Mad For Pomegranate* especially is a blue undertone red, steering towards magenta; the colour pay-off is fantastic with just one swipe and leaving the lips stained for few hours, even after the gloss has worn off. I've been wearing it constantly in the last week and also received compliments in the office.

I have a feeling that 914 Fall For Watermelon* could be a favourite for many ladies. :) It's a pinky peach with a warm undertone and the slightly silver shimmer enhances the glossiness, giving a mirror effect to the lips.

 915 Die For Guava* is a true bubblegum cool-toned pink and understandably my favourite too.

It's gorgeous with only black eyeliner and tons of mascara for the perfect rock chick look.

top-bottom: 915 die for guava, 914 fall for watermelon, 909 mad for pomegranate

In conclusion, they certainly live up to expectations: non-stick, very hydrating (perfect for the drying central heating air) and enriched with flower extracts.

Have you tried them yet? They are currently on 3x2 in Boots and I'm very tempted to grab Dare The Dragonfruit too - a gorgeous berry shade with blue shimmer!