Perfectly Pale: Dior Vernis 189 Pink Porcelain

Dior Vernis 189 Pink Porcelain

This is a shade I am sure that there are dupes for that don't cost as much as Dior, but in my moment of Dior polish delirium, I saw it in it's posh bottle with faint silver sparkle suspended within and thought 'I had to have it'.

Looking at the bottle this is a very light pink that on my nails leans slightly warmer and peachier which I rather like as I think it works better against my skintone. There are faint flecks of silver sparkle, but it is very subtle and it's only when you look a bit closer in certain light that they are visible, but this does give a little lift to the shade and stops it from looking completely flat/tippex like.

This one was not my favourite in terms of formula for a Dior polish, it's a little thick and I used 3 coats to get a completely opaque coverage.

*Purchased by me*

Soleil Tan de Chanel Poudre Soleil 4 Lumieres - Bronze Corail

I have already used this a bit and the individual shades haven't merged together

Soleil Tan de Chanel Poudre Soleil 4 Lumieres - 537 Bronze Corail

I really wasn't intending to get anything from Chanel Summer (honestly!) and only had a general look at the products, but when I went to buy a Rouge Coco Shine (in Biaritz), I tested out this compact and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

the last swatch on right is all the shades blended together

The first shade is a warm golden tan, then a pale peachy highlight sort of colour followed by a chocolatey-brown (which I love as an eye colour on it's own), then a pretty peachy coral blush shade.

I really like the colours on their own and as each section is a decent width I can easily pick up the colour to use, but the effect when blended together is a beautiful bronze which I hadn't expected.

When using the brush in the compact the colours do not merge together if the brush is swiped across the whole palette which is a nice touch.

I haven't really got into Chanel's powder products before but I like the texture of the powder as it is soft, smooth and well pigmented (although not really as much as something like RBR). If I am using blended together, I only need to lightly apply as it gives a good level of bronze effect to the skin (without any orange tones). I think I would be a bit more liberal if I was using them on the eyes (especially the golden tan shade as that the closest to my skintone).

Overall I love the versatility of this palette as I feel I am getting eyeshadow, bronzer, blush and highlight in one.

Superdrug MUA Nail Polish Shade 5

Superdrug Makeup Academy Nail Polish - Shade 5

No fancy nail polish names here, but for £1, I'm not complaining - it's the colour that's talking to me. This is a beautiful aquamarine/jade shade - slightly more blue based rather then yellow.

This is with two coats and after a couple of days so there is a tiny bit of tip wear but overall this polish is a nice formula - not too thick or thin (it beats some higher priced formulas). Brush is standard but maybe a tiny bit flatter, so application is rather good.

This is almost an exact dupe of Essie Turquoise and Caicos - I don't have the Essie, but during work a person noticed my nails and thought I had on the same Essie polish as her (I am pretty sure it's T&C but she didn't say the shade name). 

I did check out the new OPI Pirates of the Caribbean collection and had a look at how this compares to Mermaid's Tears and the OPI is slightly murkier and greener.  I am glad I checked this out as I prefer the MUA - so that's another one crossed off my lust list!

Drugstore Cream Bronzer: GOSH Natural Touch Cream Blusher - Brown Dash

Looking through the few bronzers I have in my collection, I realised that I don't actually have a matte bronzer, so during my too frequent after work Superdrug trips I came across this new GOSH cream blusher in 002 Brown Dash and thought that it looked promising.

The texture of this is similar to Topshop's cream blushes as it starts off creamy and settles down to a natural matte finish. It is quite a light cream and easy to blend into the skin with fingers or I sometimes use MAC's 130 duo-fibre brush with cream products.

Bottom: Heavily swatched, Top: Blended out

The colour is a warm browny bronze, that when applied onto the skin looks slightly more warmer then appears in the pan. On my skintone I can be quite liberal with it and it blends out well without it looking too much.

I am quite impressed with this and at £7.49 (although I took advantage of the current 3 for 2) makes a good buy.

*Purchased by me*

Becca Resurfacing Primer Review

The quest for a perfect primer continues! In the spotlight today is Becca's Resurfacing Primer - Line & Pore Minimising & Mattifying formula. I immediately loved the texture of this when I tested a little on counter and this is basically what I based my purchase on. It's a soft, velvety cream that has a tiny siliconey feel to it but not in the same way as something like Smashbox Photofinish or similar as this has 'special sebum-absorbing polymers' that help to refine the look of the skin.

It feels light and smoothes on nicely, slightly diffusing the look of pores and softening the appearance of fine lines, giving a natural matte finish. I find it does help my makeup last a bit longer and reduce shine on my t-zone. I always have to powder this area anyway throughout the day but with this my skin doesn't get as shiny.

As I do have combo/acne-prone skin, I am always weary of face makeup clogging my pores/breakouts etc  but this has been fine to use, with no adverse effects.

Only a little is needed as it does seem to glide well over the skin and as I don't use it everyday I have a lot left in the tube even though I've had this since February.

A little squeezed out

Spread out the finish is invisible

Ingredients

All in all a great primer, I actually notice a difference when using it and it is more of what I want from a primer. I would be keen on trying Becca's other primers as this is my first one from them.

*Purchased by me*

Becca Yasmina & Olesya Sheer Lip Tints and Natural FOTD

L-R: Olesya, Yasmina

Becca Sheer Lip Tints make up some of my favourite lip formulas as they are creamy, and despite the name 'sheer', actually have a good level of colour so that they don't apply as sheer as say something like a Rouge Coco Shine. The packaging is slick and practical with a screw lid so no chance of this opening up in your bag. They are fragranced with a sweet, toffee sort of scent that I rather like as well.

Olesya is a neutral brown with a faint hint of rose, it is like the deepest tone in my lip so makes a great 'my lips but better' shade. This is only a recent acquisition but I am loving this as it is such a perfect natural shade and is so lovely and creamy. 

Yasmina is a paler nude shade that is slightly cooler toned. This one is a little paler then my lips but as the texture is semi-sheer, it's not too bad and I like using this with more darker eye looks. I got this one when they first released their lip tints and I asked the assistant what colour the model was wearing in the pic as I loved how it looked not thinking will it suit me?

L-R: Olesya, Yasmina

L-R: Olesya, Yasmina

Bare Lips

Yasmina

I couldn't get a a good one of Olesya on the lips when I took the Lip Tint pics but today I did a quite a simple, natural look with Olesya on the lips (it appears a little deeper in real life as the pic washes it out a little) . This is taken after a day at work.

Face:
Maxfactor Xperience Weightless Foundation: 85 Deep Soapstone around sides/forehead
Diorskin Nude Liquid Foundation 300 on centre of face/cheeks
Ellis Faas Concealer S205 - undereyes
MAC Accentuate from Sculpt and Shape Powder to highight on cheekbones
I did have on MAC Breath of Plum blush but it has faded away as I only used it lightly

Eyes:
Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon e/s all over lid
EDIT: Virgin (not Naked) from UD Naked palette on inner corner
NARS Larger Than Life Lengthening mascara

Becca Olesya on lips

Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Swatches

From Top Left Clockwise: Mysterious Tinamou, Tantalizing Lovebird, Abyssinian Catbird, Fire-Tailed Sunbird, Veiled Lyrebird, Solstice Halcyon

Along with the Gleaming Temptations lipglosses, the Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadows are also some of my favourite things from the range.

These are buttery soft, smooth, well pigmented and also have beautiful fine shimmer/sheen that isn't chunky and doesn't fall-out all over the place.

Here are the shades I have in my collection:

019 Mysterious Tinamou

Mysterious Tinamou is a deep blue with a hint of a slight green tone. When blended out you can make out slightly the very fine silver/pale blue shimmer.

012 Tantalizing Lovebird

Tantalizing Lovebird is a warm reddish pink rose shade. This one I like to use as an all over lid colour then having a little of the Fire-Tailed Sunbird in the inner corner as a highlight.

015 Abyssinian Catbird

I have posted about Abyssinian Catbird previously in one of my FOTD posts, this one is a stunning golden khaki/olive shade. Even though all the shades are well pigmented, for me this one is the richest in one swipe.

013 Fire-Tailed Sunbird

Fire-Tailed Sunbird is a lovely warm peach with a faint hint of pink to it. This for me makes a great highlight shade and is one I use a lot for the inner corner and also pair with many other warm shades.

027 Solstice Halcyon

Solstice Halcyon is a neutral taupe that has a more natural satin finish rather then shimmer. It is quite close to my natural lid colour (maybe a tiny bit paler and cooler) but as it has good pay-off I do notice the shade so it doesn't disappear completely into my natural colouring and not show up. It is more subtle but one I like for the inner half of my lid and also for blending ontop of other shades.

011 Veiled Lyrebird

Veiled Lyrebird looks to be similar to Tantalizing Lovebird but where as TL is more rose-toned, this is more copper toned but does have a faint hint of pink to it. This is one of my favourite go-to shades for a natural day look as I just use it all over the lid.

L-R: Abyssinian Catbird, Mysterious Tinamou, Tantalizing Lovebird, Veiled Lyrebird, Fire-Tailed Sunbird, Solstice Halcyon

L-R: Abyssinian Catbird, Mysterious Tinamou, Tantalizing Lovebird, Veiled Lyrebird, Fire-Tailed Sunbird

L-R: Tantalizing Lovebird, Veiled Lyrebird, Fire-Tailed Sunbird, Solstice Halcyon

Each compact of eyeshadow is 2.4g for £22, available from www.zuneta.com (not an affiliate link)

*All purchased by me*