Wednesday 28 March 2012

Benefit Coralista Blush Box.






I've had my eye on this blusher for some time now, especially as I know it's a favourite of the Pixiwoo girls. I love coral blushers with a bit of a sheen so I knew I would be a big fan of this.

I have about three or four Benefit boxed blushers now and I love them. They're not great for travelling (unless you use the brush that comes with them, which I never do) as they're slightly bulky but I reach for them often and I love the quality, finish and packaging and I'm happy to part with my money every now and again.

Coralista really did not disappoint, although I have probably more than one blusher in my collection (well there is rather a few now!) which is very similar to this, Coralista is probably the most coral one which means it's totally justified.
I think I'll use this a lot more in summer when I have a tan as it looks a bit more pink against my (very) fair skin tone. It's so easy to blend in to create a gorgeous look.

What do you think of Coralista?

Monday 26 March 2012

Review: Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr.





Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24Hr - £4.99* (Official launch is April, but I've seen them in Superdrug)

Recently I've really started getting in to wearing eyeshadows, whereas I used to wear it on the odd occasion, I'm now finding myself wearing it every day and really experimenting with different shades.

There has been a bit of hype surrounding the Colour Tattoo 24hr Eye Colours recently, especially in the blogging world. To be honest, I wasn't at all bothered about them (I seem to miss every bandwagon) until I was at the Maybelline press day recently and swatched them. I picked up four of the shades as I knew I would really love them (and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about).

These are really pigmented gel/cream eye shadows. I think they're similar to MAC Paint Pots but I prefer the Maybelline shades. I picked up On and On Bronze (a rich copper chocolate brown with a gorgeous sheen - my favourite), Eternal Gold (a beautiful gold cream which I use in the inner corners of my eyes), Permanent Taupe (an almost matte brown which I might double up as a eyebrow gel as it's the perfect shade for me) and Endless Purple (a gorgeous rich purple with a metallic sheen, I often use this on my lower lash line).

Overall, I'm absolutely loving these little pots! I wasn't too swayed by the colours in the pots until I swatched them, they really do look so lovely on. They're really easy to apply, I usually use my fingers for colour on the lids and then my Real Techniques Starter Kit brushes for the lower lash line and in the inner corner of my eye. They're great to blend and last so long without creasing or smudging.
They're also great as a base for eyeshadows, I've been wearing MACs Casino over On and On Bronze and it looks gorgeous.

I think the lasting power is amazing, especially as they're drug store products and not high end. I don't find these crease at all, and I haven't been wearing primer. I put them on at about 7am in the morning, wear them all day and come home and my lids still look perfect, it's really unbelievable.
I think they're absolutely worth getting, the price is spot on and I reckon they'll last a while too.
I really love all the shades so far, On and On Bronze is definitely my favourite but I can see myself regularly wearing all colours of the 4.

Will you be picking these up?

Sunday 25 March 2012

Neon Pink Jeans.





Jeans: Topshop Petite 
Bag: H&M (old)
Lipstick: NARS Bolero
Nails: OPI Mermaid Tears

I thought I'd show how I'm wearing the neon denim trend at the moment. I fell for these neon pink jeans when I saw them online and purchased them in store a few days later. I've had them for about a month now and usually wear them with some form of black top.
I think now it's sunnier I might wear them with something more summery, like a white tunic or maybe a mint vest. 

I think I'm going to go for a little wander today. I kind of need to take some more blog photos though, I'm wearing the Maybelline Colour Tattoos today which I love and can't wait to blog about. 

How is everyone spending their weekend?

Review: Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation & Launch Event.








I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch on the new (and first!) Benefit liquid foundation, Hello Flawless. I'm a massive fan of the Hello Flawless powder so I was pretty excited to get my paws on this.

As you're probably aware, I really like Benefit products. The quality is great, it's fun and the packaging is always great. I absolutely love the packaging on the new Oxygen Wow foundation and I know a lot of you agree. It's fresh, original and cute.

The event was great fun, Benefits makeup artist Lisa demonstrated how to use the foundation and then matched us all up. I was matched to shade "I'm Pure 4 Sure, Ivory" which is the perfect match for me. This is a "neutral porcelain for fair complexions".

I've been wearing the foundation for about a week now and I really love it. The coverage is great - medium to full buildable coverage without looking heavy, the coverage is dewy without looking oily and the finish is really natural yet flawless. The foundation really is very thin, I was surprised by how "liquid" this really was, but I do think it makes it easier to buff in to give a better finish.

I usually wear Estee Lauder Double Wear which is a 'Stay in Place' foundation, so I was keen to see how Hello Flawless would compare. Overall, I think the lasting power is pretty good. I do have to apply powder and maybe touch up during the day but this is what I'd expect from my normal/oily skin type.
I find that on days where I applied too much without properly buffing it in, it did gather on dry areas, around my nose etc. so I think in future I need to use less and buff more. I think with foundations like this, application is key.
I did find that by the end of the day, the foundation had separated slightly but this may have been because I hadn't buffed thoroughly.

Overall, a great first liquid foundation from Benefit. I'm really pleased with the coverage, but I think the lasting power could be better. The finish is gorgeous and really does give such a natural glow to the skin.
Will you be trying this foundation?

Saturday 24 March 2012

Review: Chanel Blush Horizon De Chanel.









This is definitely the most expensive blusher I own! I wouldn't have looked twice at this and the price tag except I had something to take back to Boots that I didn't have the receipt for, so I had to choose something then and there and this was the only thing I wanted.

It's made with the horizon in mind, the colours of the sun setting from dawn til dusk. I absolutely adore the varying shades of pink and the soft sheen of the highlighter. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to use this as it's so beautiful and I know I'll never have another one, but it's too beautiful not to use!

As you would expect with a Chanel product, the quality is incredible. The shades really come together to create a wonderful pop of pink with the most brilliant sheen. It applies so well and blends to create such a beautiful flush. I think it looks lovely against my fair skin and dark hair, especially when I pair it with pink lips.

Chanel say  "To create a soft fresh look, gently sweep across all of the blush shades as a harmony and sculpt the face using the beveled brush. For a healthy glow add just a touch of the pink shade to your cheekbones and temples. Create a sun-kissed glowing complexion with the peach shades." 
Personally, I just swirl the shades together but i might try using the different shades as I like the sound of the more peachier colours on their own.

Obviously the price is a slight issue, but this is a gorgeous product that I feel lucky to have. I'm unsure if I would really part with £46 for it as that seems very steep, even for this beauty. 
However, I have spied Horizon De Chanel in the up and coming co-buys on Buyapowa so watch this space!
What do you think of this product? Would you fork out £46 for it?

NOTE: You can also see this blush in this post.

Friday 23 March 2012

Pastel.








Jumper - Topshop (via Ebay Seller)
Shirt - Select 
Leggings - Select
Necklace - H&M
Clutch - New Look
Nails - OPI Mermaid Tears
Eyeshadow - MAC Casino 

This is one of my favourite outfits, I love the way it's come together and is so full of colour. I'm in love with this gold collar tip shirt, the neon clutch and the pineapple necklace! I'm also loving OPIs Mermaid Tears and my blush (which I will post about tomorrow!).
I quite like outfit pictures taken this way as they're more flattering on my figure/the clothes. I think I'll probably be doing it this way from now on... what does everyone think?

Yesterday I uploaded a new YouTube video! It's a recent MAC haul video. Please subscribe and share my channel if you can, I'd love to make more videos but it's just finding the time/getting the hang of it.

The last few days have been busy! I was so tired after coming back from Glasgow, so it's taken me a few days to recover. I went to a Maybelline event on Wednesday followed by the Collection (formerly 2000) birthday which were both awesome, expect to see lots of reviews soon!
The Collection event was so good, so many of my favourite bloggers were there and Diana Vickers also performed. I had such a great night, one of those nights that makes me realise how many amazing people I've met through blogging.

My other news is that I also became an auntie for the first time to this little guy. He is such a babe, I can't wait to meet him next time I'm home. He doesn't have a name yet, he was born yesterday (well, Wednesday night at 12.33am) but they're still deciding on one.
I'll hopefully be back in Scotland next weekend to see my love, and I might go home (2 hours North of Glasgow) to see everyone as I haven't been back since I left after Christmas!

Thursday 22 March 2012

Review: Smashbox Beauty To Go Eye Palette.





I've blogged in the past about my love for Smashbox products, especially eye shadow palettes. Their eyeshadows are great quality and I always love the shades.
Most of my eyeshadows are nudes, golds, beiges etc. (i.e pretty boring) so I was excited to receive this pretty little palette which has an array of gorgeous shades.

I'm still experimenting with eye shadows, I've only recently started wearing anything on my lids on a daily basis - in the past I've only really worn it when I go out or when I have time. Now I find myself slapping on eyeshadow most days and I really like how it looks on me. It's funny how you can be so set in your ways for so long and then you just change your mind all of a sudden.

I've really enjoyed using this palette, although I have to be honest and admit that only the more neutral shades have been truly used. As per, the quality is excellent and the shades make me dribble a bit.
I've got a couple of the Lid Primers and I really like them, even when I'm not wearing eyeshadow it's great to ensure mascara and eyeliner stays smudge-free. 

Hopefully I will try out some of the brighter shades in future, maybe as eyeliner at first to give my lower lash line a pop a' colour.
There's also an "Eye Wish" book which fits nicely in to the box, this shows quite a few looks which can be created using the palette.

How would you wear the brighter shades? Will you be purchasing the palette any time soon? 

NOTE: This palette is coming up on Buyapowa soon so I shall be tweeting the link! 

Signorina by Salvatore Ferragamo Eau De Parfum.





The fragrances I usually go for are fresh, light and floral, so when I read the description of this perfume, I knew it would be to my taste. 
Signorina is described as a sophisticated, fresh and chic fragrance with notes of jasmine, peony and rose. The name Signorina means "young woman" in Italian, it's inspired by the strong bond between Ferragamo and the trendy yet timeless modernity of feminine young ladies. The perfume itself communicates a story of iconic love, a story of a young woman and a young man. 

The packaging is gorgeous, the simple pink box looks elegant and feminine, and the bottle itself is something you would be happy to have on your dressing table. It's an elegant looking glass bottle, with a two-toned pink bow and a beautiful rose-gold lid. 
Everything about this says sophisticated and chic - I love rose gold and the bottle really appeals to me. 

The scent is, at first, very floral with a strong personality. The jasmine and peony notes are instantly apparent, with the underlying note of rose. 
The Italian twist is given by the creamy texture of pannacotta with soft musk. 
On the skin, the scent is slightly more subtle, the floral notes are still apparent but it settles to become a lighter, fresher scent with the bright notes of currant spiced with pink pepper.

Overall, this is a really distinctive perfume. It's fresh and very floral, with a cheeky twist. I like the elegant style which gives it that sophisticated edge. It also seems to be one of those perfumes that smells dramatically different on everyone.
Although this is aimed towards younger women, I think ladies of all ages will fall in love with this classic yet individual scent. 

*This is a sponsored post. 

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Review: Malin + Goetz Acne Treatment.





I, like most, am prone to the occasional spot especially when I'm run down or haven't been eating/sleeping properly. I wouldn't say I have acne, I just get the odd spot here and there a couple of times a month.
Most of my skincare is for combination skin type, but I don't really use any products for "acne prone skin" as it's not really for me and I find it tends to make my skin worse.

I've been using this for a couple of years now, I don't use it a lot - just when I have a blemish that needs to be treated. This little wonder is made up of sulphur (to dry out the spot), salicylic acid (to exfoliate skin and open pores) as well as zinc oxide to minimise scarring - all suspended in alcohol.
This is the best spot treatment I've tried, it works over night to ensure the blemish is dramatically reduced (or gone!) by morning without trying. I've used other products before, such as those which contain benzoyl peroxide, which have really dried out my skin and made it so much worse so this really is a miracle product.

I use a clean cotton bud to apply the white solution (not the alcohol, this just ensures the product doesn't dry out - you can add vodka or whatever alcohol to top this up should it run low) to the affected area. It dries to a white sort of clay which can be washed away in the morning. I sometimes also apply this in the morning if the area is still quite red and just rub away the white dried bit.
My only negative comments would be that this smells very strong, thankfully not like sulphur but a very strong chemical smell. It goes rather quickly and it doesn't bother me, personally.

This is the ideal spot treatment, the best I've tried and a firm favourite of mine. At £16.50 this is slightly more expensive than you'd expect for a very small jar but I assure you it's very much worth it, especially if you're prone to whiteheads. I'd say a jar lasts quite a while, but it depends how much you use it! My first bottle lasted about 8 months, which works out quite well when you think about it.

Has anyone else tried this treatment? What do you use to clear up blemishes?

Monday 19 March 2012

Review: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle.






As you're probably aware, I'm a big fan of a highlighter. I mainly use a powder highlighter on my cheeks, I think it adds so much to your skin to create such a polished, gorgeous finish. 
My skin isn't great, I have rather large pores over my cheeks and nose and applying highlighter here really helps to minimise these and create such a flawless base. 

I purchased MACs Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle recently and I haven't stopped using it since. It's the perfect beige/peach gold to add just the right amount of glow to the skin. 
It's a very fine powder with a high frost/metallic finish, I use a blush brush or a powder brush to really buff this into skin to create an incredibly polished look. The light catches my cheeks and gives the illusion of really flawless skin. I lightly run the brush around my face and down my nose for an added glow. 
After this, I use blusher in the same way I normally would

This has become one of my firm favourites recently, I actually thought it would be more than £21.50 - this seems like quite a good price for a MAC product. I'm never going to use all this, you literally need the lightest sweep to create a brilliant finish, so £21.50 for a product of this size and quality is without a doubt worth it in my opinion. 

I hope I'm slowly converting everyone over to powder highlighters. What do you think of this product?