Holiday Beauty Buys

Even though I don't need any more opportunities to buy more beauty bits, I cannot go on holiday without getting something so when I was away for a couple of weeks recently in Canada and the US, there were a few things on my wishlist to get.

I had my eye on the MAC 286 brush for some time, it seemed like the perfect brush for blending undereye concealer and that's exactly what I've been using it for. It has a good firmness so it doesn't flop about but still is soft and workable. The duo fibres lend themselves well to getting diffused and naturally blended edges.

Walgreens was right across the street from the hotel we were staying at in Las Vegas so it turned into a midnight trip (as they are open 24hrs). Even though there is an incredible selection of drugstore lines, I only bought Maybelline's Color Tattoo Shimmering Seas (115) which is a limited edition shade in a beautiful golden beige with aqua shimmer to it. I already have a few of these eyeshadows and love the formula so I know this will get a lot of use. I now wish I'd picked up the other LE shade as well as this swatches much nicer than how it looks from outside.

Maybelline's Color Elixir gloss in Celestial Coral (010) is a beautiful medium coral pink semi-sheer gloss. As there are no testers I chose a 'safe' colour that I know I will use.

Even though Sephora now ship to the UK there is nothing like seeing the products in person and the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Honeymoon Honey has been on my list since testing it in Toronto on holiday last year. It is quite a unique formula that feels light, hydrating and cooling, with a natural flush of colour.

Another item I tested last year and have had on my mind since then is TokyoMilk's Tainted Love Shea Butter Handcreme. It's really the scent that took me in with his hand cream as it is fragranced with Dark Vanilla Bean, Orchid, White Tea and Sandalwood so it's a slightly more deeper and sensual scent that I love. The formula itself is quite light and silky and absorbs easily into the skin.

Makeup Forever Smoky Lash and Anastasia Brow Wiz are products I've wanted to try for ages and Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo Invisible Spray is a product Liana Beauty mentioned on her blog that had me curious as it's meant to be completely invisible. I haven't yet found a dry shampoo I've been completely happy with so have high hopes for this.

I was holding out on buying the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes until my holiday as I had tested them previously and Diffused Heat was the one I was immediately drawn to as it's a lovely radiant brightening shade with good payoff.

I hadn't intended to get anything from Bath and Body Works but my sister was eager to get these Anti-Bacterial Hand Gels so naturally curiosity got the better of me and I also picked up several of these cute little bursts of scent for on the go use.

Some last minute duty-free buys were a cosmetic bag and and fragrance mist from Victoria's Secret. I really like the choice of toiletry bags they have and this one is such a lovely tropical print and has two handy clear zip compartments. Bombshells in Bloom Fragrance Mist is a nice, sweet floral fruity scent that's perfect for my bag.

L-R: Celestial Coral, Brow Wiz in Granite, Shimmering Seas, Honeymoon Honey, Diffused Heat

L-R: Celestial Coral, Brow Wiz in Granite, Shimmering Seas, Honeymoon Honey, Diffused Heat

I'll leave you with one of my favourite things in Las Vegas. Day or night, these fountains are stunning.

Pretty Pink Gloss: Kevyn Aucoin The Elegant Lipgloss - Valentina

I was in Space NK a couple of weeks back having a browse at the Kevyn Aucoin range and saw this beautiful pink lipgloss but at the time I was thinking 'I really don't need another lipgloss' even though I didn't have anything like this. Since then I couldn't get it out of my head so the other day I passed by again and purchased it, and I am really happy with it.

Valentina is a fairly bold medium fuchsia pink, that is very well pigmented in a liquid lipstick sort of way. The texture is non-sticky, creamy and smooth and it's quite soft so I don't need to press into the pan very much to get the product. It lasts fairly well for a lipgloss and fades away evenly without making the lips feel dry.

I am not overly fond of lip products in palettes but I quite like the sleek red toned packaging of this and the mirror is useful for touch-ups although I do use a lip brush to apply the gloss more precisely as it's quite pigmented.

In context with the rest of my face (my skin has gone a bit bonkers in the hot weather so please excuse the blemishes):

Rest of makeup:

Face: Lily Lolo Mineral foundation Warm Honey, Alison Raffaele True Concealer (5), Beauty UK Baked blush - Royal Rose, MAC Sculpt & Shape Powder - Accentuate as highlighter.

Eyes: Revlon CustomEyes palette - 020 Naturally Glamorous  (the lightest shade on inner half, mid taupe shade outer half of lid), YSL Faux Cils gel liner Ashy Black (2) on upper lash line, MAC Chromagraphic pencil NW25/NC30 on lower waterline, NARS Larger Than Life Voluminising Mascara, GOSH clear brow gel.

Ingredients:

This is £22 for 3.65g and I bought this from Space NK Duke of York Square branch, London which seems to stock the full Kevyn Aucoin range.

Smoky MAC Hyperviolet FOTD

Today I've gone for quite a simple eye look with MAC's Hyperviolet Paint Pot which is a gorgeous bruised plum type shade. I'm really enjoying these deep red-purple shades for autumn and this eye combination is one I rather liked and thought I'd share.

I've started off with a base of Bloom's Eye Paint in Chocolate which is a staple (review here) that I reach for almost everyday. These past few months I've noticed my eyelids are not as oily as before so I don't use my ELF eyeshadow primer so much underneath the Bloom eye paint.

On 3/4 of the lid and slightly on lower lash line I've applied MAC Paint Pot in Hyperviolet with a concealer brush then blended out the edges with a MAC 217. On the inner corner I've used Illamasqua's Fat Pencil in Fickle which is another favourite as the gold is on a slightly darker, duller side which seems to blend into my skintone and texture more nicely for a more softer golden look.

I've used MAC Feline pencil on the upper lash line and a little on the outer lower lash line then used a eye smudge brush to soften the line. The mascara is a sample of Chanel's Inimitable Intense which I got with a purchase a while back. I wasn't overly keen on the original Inimitable but I really like this Intense version as the formula is light and slightly creamy but not wet and really gives a dark lash look with good volume and separation.

Complete look:

Products used:

W3LL People Narcissist foundation stick No.5 (review here) all over face set with a little MUFE HD powder.
MAC Sculpt & Shape Powder in Accentuate/Sculpt - I've used the highlighter side on the tops of my cheeks.
Nouba Earth Powder 51 - As blush/bronzer. This deserves it's own post as it's another firm favourite of mine.
Chanel Glossimer in Giggle on lips
Chanel Crayon Sourcil in 60 Noir Cendre to fill in brows

L-R: Chanel Giggle Glossimer, Illamasqua Fat Pencil Fickle, Chanel Crayon Sourcil 60 Noir Cendre, MAC Feline pencil, MAC Hyperviolet Paint Pot

Peachy Glowy Goodness: Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lipgloss - Lush

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lipgloss - Lush

Today felt like the perfect day to get out this lovely as it's a gorgeous summery, glow-giving gloss.

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lipgloss in Lush is a pretty peach shade with a fine warm shimmer. These are some of my favourite glosses as the formula is smooth, non-sticky and they impart a wonderfully shiny finish that wears well and doesn't dry out the lip.

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lipgloss - Lush

I think these are tied in my affections with the Rouge Bunny Rouge lipglosses, and as with RBR, it is easy to become slightly obsessed:)
 
Hourglass is available in Liberty London or online at Zuneta.

Green Gloss: Illamasqua Violate from Theatre of the Nameless

The thought of a green lipgloss intrigued me so when I saw Violate from the new Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless collection on counter, I had to give it a go and actually, I rather like it.

Illamasqua Violate: Top - sheered out, bottom - built up

Violate is a warm forest green with a pretty shimmer and can be worn sheerer or built up to give a more intense look. What I like about this is that the colour plays with the natural pinky mauve colour in my lips to create a strange green that still allows my lip colour to show through. It is a bit of a sticky lipgloss which doesn't bother me too much but I would apply a balm underneath.   

Illamasqua Violate, sheer application

Illamasqua Violate, heavier application

Here it is applied heavier in context with the rest of my face, please excuse the glum expression and untidy brows (I am growing them at the moment).

I think this would be a good alternative to a more deep berry/purple shade for autumn/winter as I think it is an oddly wearable colour.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Gleaming Temptations Lipgloss Swatches (pic heavy)

T-B: Counting Wishes, Blameless, Sin Tiptoe In, No Strings Attached, One Long Sip

T-B: Counting Wishes, Blameless, Sin Tiptoe In, No Strings Attached, One Long Sip

I have been meaning to do this post for absolutely ages and now that there is some lovely bright sunshine I have finally taken some pics I am happy with.

L-R: Counting Wishes, Blameless, Sin Tiptoe In, No Strings Attached, One Long Sip

L-R: Counting Wishes, Blameless, Sin Tiptoe In, No Strings Attached, One Long Sip

Rouge Bunny Rouge Gleaming Temptations lipglosses are amongst my favourites because they have hold on the lips but are non-sticky, and feel smooth and non-drying. What I love most about these is the beautiful crushed pearl shimmer - there is a depth and complexity to the tones that is very pretty and not glitzy in any way. They are a semi-sheer texture, some of the more bolder shades have more obvious colour, but as I often wear more neutral colours on the lips these suit my tastes well.

They are a 7ml size and cost £20, so they are at the pricey end of the scale but when I think of some of my other favourite lipglosses like Becca, Hourglass and YSL Golden Gloss, they are similarily priced and these for me are worth it because of the quality.

Counting Wishes

Counting Wishes (036) is the brightest of the shades I have and is a beautiful semi-sheer cherry-red with fine red/golden shimmer.

Blameless

Blameless (031) is a 'my lips but better shade', it's a sort of warm, rose/brown which at first looks like it has no shimmer but actually it's so fine that it's only when I look closely that I notice it. This one is the most natural looking all of the 5 shades I have.

Sin Tiptoe In

Sin Tiptoe In (051) is my joint favourite with No Strings Attached, it is a gorgeous warm copper shade with a faint rosy tone and subtle pink/copper shimmer.

No Strings Attached

No Strings Attached (042) is a light peachy/pinky shade with delicate glow-giving shimmer. This shade is the one I reach for the most out of my RBR glosses as I just love the pretty tones in this.

One Long Sip

One Long Sip (033) looks similar to Sin TipToe In, but this one leans more golden in tone and has more noticeable golden sparkle.

Swatches

L-R: No Strings Attached, Sin Tiptoe In, Counting Wishes, Blameless, One Long Sip

L-R: No Strings Attached, Sin Tiptoe In, Counting Wishes, Blameless, One Long Sip

L-R: No Strings Attached, Sin Tiptoe In, Counting Wishes, Blameless, One Long Sip

Rouge Bunny Rouge is exclusively available at Zuneta (not an affiliate link).

*Purchased by me*

NARS Downtown Lipgloss Look

I am slowly getting more and more into NARS, and with their new collection I bought my first lipgloss from them In Downtown.
I was immediately drawn to this when I tested in out on counter - it's quite an unusual soft purple shade with lilacy pink fine shimmer, unlike anything I have at present.

The light picks up the pink tones in the gloss

This lipgloss is slightly sticky which I don't mind so much (I just slap on some Lanolips 101 underneath - love:) but it does hold well on lips and lasts quite well.

For me this shade sits well in my 'comfort zone' as it's not so bright and only a little bolder then my natural lip colour.

I've done a look which uses the lilac tones as inspiration for the eyes:

Products used:
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer NW35 slightly as base and a little under eyes
NARS Nepal eyeshadow all over lid
NARS Mekong eyeshadow as the thicker line along lid
NARS Pearl Beach cream eyeshadow pressed ontop of the Mekong and Nepal to give a lilac tone to the eye
Rouge Bunny Rouge Devotion Ink Quartz Eyeliner in Anthracite Essence to finely line lash line
No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara (used more on outer corner to give a more winged look) and only on upper lashes.

The complete look ( with the NARS Downtown lipgloss on lips)

 

What I've used on face:

NARS Sheer Glow foundation - Barcelona
MUFE HD powder
NARS Douceur Blush

Overall I am pleased with this purchase as it is a shade I would wear day-to-day as well as with more dramatic looks. It sort of reminds a little of a MAC 3D Glass I once had called Algorithm (although I think that was sheerer and didn't have shimmer).

Another Sparkly Number - Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips - Sarina

At the moment I am liking a bit of sparkle - with the current cold and drab weather a little glistening makeup gives me a slight lift. Something I purchased about a month ago was Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips Diamond in Sarina. This is my first Bare Escentuals purchase, and while this is supposed to be a plumping lip polish, I got it more for it's sparkle factor then it's plumping properties.

Close up of sparkle:

Sarina has a semi-sheer base which gives a natural coppery beige colour to the lips and contains copper, gold and icy blue fine shimmer particles. The overall effect is glistening and very shiny.
It is scented with caramel/toffee sort of scent that I like, but when on the lips I get a slight menthol type sensation that doesn't sting or anything but just makes my lips feel cool.

The texture is smooth and has a slight tack that isn't sticky as such (no MAC Dazzleglass stickiness here), but it seems to hold well on the lips so that it lasts about 2-3 hours.
I feels mildly hydrating so when it wears off it doesn't make my lips feel dry.

As to it's plumping properties I think that because it has a shiny finish, it does give the lips a more fuller appearance and skims over finer lines so that the lips appear plumper.

Swatches:

Applied to the lips:

Ingredients (can be enlarged):

I bought this from my local House of Fraser counter for £17.

NUXE Nutri-Protecting Lip Care SPF 15 Review

Nuxe is a French brand that I've seen in a few places but never really looked into more closely, I think it was more to do with the packaging rather then the products themselves as I previously had a slight aversion to packaging bombarded with type (and was gold). 

The Nutri-Protecting Lip Care is a cross between a tinted lip balm and a gloss, they have Mango butter, Sunflower, Shea Butter and Sweet Almond oil to nourish and botanical filling spheres to give a more plumped up look. I think I am attracted to anything with the words 'Mango Butter' as these do have a fruity mango scent but I also like that they have a SPF 15 to protect the lips. 

I bought the shades: 02 Rose Legendaire/Legendaire Pink and 03 Chocolate Irise/Shimmering Chocolate. Legendaire Pink is quite a pretty sheer pink shade with very fine shimmer. This one does look quite glossy so it gives a more dimensional quality to the lips to make them look more fuller but I don't think it's anything special compared to other lipglosses. Shimmering Chocolate is more pigmented and also has the fine shimmer but it's not as noticeable when applied. They feel very smooth and light and are completely non-sticky. The down side to this is that they don't last that long on the lips. 

Top - Legendaire Pink, Bottom - Shimmering Chocolate

I paid £6.25 each for these in the sale, but full price they are £12.50. I like them as quite pretty, natural looking glosses but they are average and do not blow me away. I prefer something like the Korres Full Colour Lipglosses which is what I would compare these to.

Disclaimer: Purchased by me