Estee Lauder-fest!

Their Sumptuous mascara, Vanilla Truffle Lipstick and Double Wear Cream eyeshadows have given me a real appetite for the Estee Lauder brand. I have been really impressed with the quality of their products and the luxe packaging that is also sturdy and practical (I hate flimsy plasticky packaging!). I used to own their Double Wear foundation about 5 years ago and I remember buying it continuously (even on my measly student loan) but as always, after time, you start to wonder what other products are out there and you go in search of something different. I am looking forward to revisiting Double Wear foundation again the next few days and falling in love with it all over again. It's almost like when you listen to an amazing song too much and get bored of it after the millionth listen, then you rediscover it years later and realise how good it was to start with!
I have always had the impression that Estee Lauder produce really good quality foundations and powders and that they form the basis of what they're all about. I was excited to try the Aeromatte powder as I have hit pan on my Korres Wild Rose powder and wanted to find out if there was another powder out there that offered slightly more product for your money (as much as I love the Korres powder, you really don't get all that much in the pan). Here comes the shallow bit again but I just love the packaging and the rippled effect on the pan...

As always, I much rather using my kabuki brush to apply powder rather than the sponge applicator provided. I always find that it creates a more natural finish when you buff it in the skin, instead of the cakey effect you can sometimes get from sponge application. This powder is fantastic, it creates a really soft matte look to your makeup and I only had to retouch my nose and chin once in a 10 hour period. I love whipping this little compact out of my bag though so I would almost use any excuse to do it!

I have been on the look out for a paler long lasting concealer for use under my eyes and around my nose as I have undereye circles and I often get very red around my nostrils in winter. I wanted a paler shade than my current MUFE Full Cover concealer for when I'm off the fake tan and I also wanted to try a lighter formula. This Estee Lauder Stay In Place concealer in Light/Medium has a sponge applicator, SPF10, it's waterproof and REALLY long lasting. The consistency is perfect, just liquid enough to allow the appropriate amount of blending. Once it has set, it's touch dry (I hate concealers that are waxy or take ages to sink in, they just end up slipping off your skin within a couple of hours). This one doesn't budge at all and it covers my redness like a dream. This concealer is something you can really rely on and it's great for cold winter days when you're probably going to get rained on or caught in snow! That's a certainty in blustery old Scotland!

Ever since trying the Estee Lauder Double Wear Cream eyeshadow in Antique Gold, I have been hankering after more shades. I love a silver eye so the shade, Silver Star from the collection is the perfect pale base for creating either a look that it subtle and sophisticated or built up with darker powder eyeshadows to create an intense and dramatic effect (The Sleek Graphite palette would be perfect). The other shade pictured, Pink Blush (a soft peachy pink) is a perfect shade for everyday wear when you want to look natural but polished. Here come the swatches...These cream eyeshadows are very similar to MAC Paint Pots but with a different selection of colours. I would say they have a very similar consistency and they last all day. Some people say they prefer the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows due to the lighter consistency. I own all of the above and in my opinion, the Estee Lauder and MAC ones are my favourite because you can achieve the intensity you want alot faster (the Benefit ones are so light in formulation that you have to layer them to get the same effect therefore you're using more product).
I know there's alot of bloggers who aren't big fans of primers but I am firmly routed with Team Primer. There are different primers to suit everyones needs, whether you want to mattify, smooth out the skin and minimise fine lines or just get that extra glow with an illuminating one. I love experimenting with different ones to achieve different looks. This Estee Lauder Face Primer Plus Illuminating Base is designed to even out skin tone, add radiance and create a solid base for makeup to adhere to. I know alot of bloggers shy away from illuminating products as they are worried that they will make them look greasy or shiny, but I used this primer under my foundation and then set it with the Aeromatte powder and the effect was in no way shiny. It just gives that 'glow from within' look and makes your makeup look fresh all day. These kind of products are a fantastic pick me up if your complexion is looking a bit lacklustre or dull (also great if you have overdone it a bit the night before, which obviously I never do because I'm such a clean living soul!)

The Estee Lauder Opulent Shimmer Gloss in Gold is perfect to layer over any lipstick to create more dimension to the lips and gives a gorgeous effect. It's very subtle which means it marries very well with just about any colour. I love the formulation of the gloss, there's no grittiness or sticky feeling, just gorgeous flecks of gold shimmer. I love the pretty packaging (yep...I'm a sucker for nice packaging!). The only gripe I have with this is the brush applicator which I felt was too stiff and makes application a little awkward. I can deal with that because I love the gloss (it also has exactly the same smell as MAC lipsticks which is a vanilla smell). Yummy!

Here's what it looks like on it's own....

Let me know your thoughts if you have also tried these products. I will be doing some FOTD's featuring the Estee Lauder and YSL products I've posted on recently so stay tuned for those!

Showing YSL some more love!

I love YSL as a brand. It gave birth to some of my favourite products like Faux Cils mascara and Rouge Voluptes, which are BY FAR the best lipsticks I have ever owned. The products always feel so luxurious and are such a treat to use, both in their formula and in the gorgeous packaging. I just have to give a whole lotta love to the following three products, Singulier Mascara in No.1 (Black), Gloss Volupte in No.1 (Iced Lychee) and Rouge Pur Lipstick in no.59 (Golden Melon)... I have heard a few other bloggers raving about the Singulier mascara and I never thought it could surpuss Faux Cils, but oh my god it has. This mascara is AMAZING! It volumises, it lengthens and it curls, basically everything you want from a mascara. It doesn't smudge or flake at all and when I wore it today, Chris asked if I was wearing false eyelashes! That had me sold because he never usually notcies these things.

I love the way you can just apply one coat and get this effect...My eyelashes actually reach my eyebrows when I look upwards. This mascara is out of this world and all the raving going on in the blogging world is wholly justified. I have a couple of other mascaras such as Estee Lauder Sumptuous and Rouge Bunny Rouge Amplitude which are great and I enjoy using them but YSL Singulier just has that extra bit of oomph that would make me want to reach for it on special occasions or for a big night out. I am in love! This is a mascara I will repurchase again and again.

I love all the YSL lipsticks I have and this Rouge Pur one is no exception. It's a gorgeous golden peach shade that really glistens in the light. It's butter smooth to apply, doesn't dry out the lips and lasts quite a long time for such a light formulation. The formulation of YSL lipsticks is second to none in my opinion, they are just silky smooth. This shade really brightens your complexion and adds just the right amount of colour.

As I adore Rouge Voluptes (who doesn't?) I was excited to try the new Gloss Volupte product. The YSL website describes the product as having "the sensual texture of a gloss and the irresistibly feminine gesture of applying a lipstick. Translucent as a lollipop, the texture deliciously melts on the lips, giving them a tantalizing shine and tangy colours". This description is spot on and I love that it feels like you're applying a lipstick and not a gloss. If you're expecting a highly pigmented gloss then this may not be for you. It's designed to add shine and a hint of colour. It's so so light and because the gloss is very transparent, it's better paired with a lipstick. And what better lipstick to pair it with than the gorgeous Golden Melon....

This combination is particularly flattering on slightly golden skin. They both feel really lovely to wear and I can't say enough good things about them! YSL had really excelled itself with these three products.

I swear I only intended to buy Christmas presents....

Why is it that the shops get together and conspire against us all at Christmas time? They bring out all the nicest things at this time of year and that makes it impossible for me to concentrate on buying presents for other people! I went into town today with the sole intention of getting things for my loved ones ALTHOUGH, in my defense, there was one excusable purchase. It's my birthday on 13th December and I had spotted a coat in French Connection that I loved so Chris said he would get it for me now in case it sold out. It's in one of my favourite colours which is that cobalt blue shade. I love the military detailing and pewter domed buttons AND the smaller size fitted me so that made my day! It was expensive at £144 but I think it's worth it coz I will wear it to death and the military isn't too strong so it will last through the trend. Then when I was walking past H & M I thought "it couldn't hurt to just have a look". That was where I think I lost all of my will power and ended up trying on a billion things. H & M have done something that so many shops fail to do...their staff were super friendly and helpful, their changing rooms were air conditioned, with flattering diffused lighting AND they have two swivel mirrors so you can position them where you want...how good is that!Bravo H & M. More shops should do that). Here's what I left with...

This dress is perfect for those times when you just want a trusty black dress that you can team with a variety of different accesories. It is high waisted with a cotton vest top section and a chiffon skirt, complete with a chiffon band and bow around the waist. It's fully lined so the skirt section feels quite heavy, that also means there's less chance of it blowing up at the slightest gust of wind! It's was only£24.99 which I think is really good value for money. I'm loving the blazer look at the moment and this one is gorgeous. It's a lovely sheeny champagne colour and has a rough silk effect to it. The lining is also gorgeous, cream silk with a pretty dotted design, perfect for when you roll the sleeves up. I can't wait to wear it with the black dress with chunky jewellery and statement shoes! This was £39.00 which is pretty decent for a good quality blazer, especially since it looks so luxe.

I saw this bright pink wool scarf and I had to have it! It's super long, super cosy and it will add a burst of colour to a plain outfit. There has been so many bodycon dresses around the last few seasons and I've never been brave enough to wear them because you have to have a supermodel figure to pull it off and basically, I don't! However, this black knitted bodycon skirt from H & M is perfect for my shape. It is very slimming and clings in all the right areas. It is quite thick and is also lined so it will be perfect for the winter weather with boots and tights. It was £16.99 in a special offer so I grabbed it in excitement! It's an easier way to get into the bodycon trend without going the whole hog.I now have access to Zara in Aberdeen and I am so glad I do because I have spotted soooo many things that I want to get my hands on! There are some really great things for work, chiffon blouses, lovely shift dresses with stylish detailing and some of their shoes are gorgeous! I managed to limit myself to a wallet, a plain white vest and a top, but not just any top. It has bands of shimmer! I plan on wearing this with my dark denim skinny jeans, killer heels and navy blue long cardigan. It's casual with a twist of Christmas glamour!
So I left my shopping trip today laden with bags and with a hint of guilt at my lack of presents for other people. But I will be going back next weekend so I can get them then...aww who am I kidding!? The same thing will probably happen again!

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector

I had seen this product loads of times in magazines over the last couple of years and I had always wondered if it would live up to the hype. Now you all know that I am a HUGE fan of highlighting products and especially ones that are multi-purpose. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector (Gold) is a water based moisturiser with SPF 20, Vitamins A, B, C, D and E to help care for your skin as you wear the product. The website also states that it contains soothing, anti-flammatory and antiseptic ingredients so that's a huge plus in my book!

The product contains light diffusing particles that are designed to hide flaws and generally give your skin a radiant look. Now these kind of products, I've found in the past, tread a fine line between HIDING flaws and purely exaggerating them. In my experience, the finer the 'shimmer' particles in the product, the more likely it will have a flattering effect. I am pleased to report that this product has very fine particles and applied to the skin very smoothly. The Shimmering Skin Perfector is available in 6 shades and they can be viewed here http://www.beccacosmetics.com/COMPLEXION-Tinted-Moisturisers/c3_9/p23/Shimmering-Skin-Perfector/product_info.html. These are probably the most shades I have seen available purely for a highlighting liquid so I'm impressed that BECCA is making an effort as a brand to cater for different skin colours and types.

I don't know why but when I saw the product in magazines, I always thought it was a glass bottle, however, it's actually in a plastic container. I don't mean to sound shallow but I was a bit disappointed by the packaging and I kind of wished it felt more 'luxe'. When I pulled the rubber and metal lid off the product, I was met with a plastic pump applicator and lid and this almost cheapened the look of the product as a whole. Now that's not to say that it isn't practical, it's actually been thought through as the plastic lid covering the applicator is obviously to stop mess. HOWEVER, I don't like to get caught up on packaging too much as I like to concentrate more on the product within. After all, that's the most important thing!

This product really is a true gold with yellow undertones and the consistency is quite thick to what I'm used to. On the website they offer suggestions on how the product can be used which is always helpful as sometimes you spot things that you wouldn't have thought of yourself. The website advises that it can be applied all over the face as a base for foundation, which is what I will predominantly be using it for as the gold shade is alot easier to wear in winter than my usual bronze coloured highlighters.

You can also mix it with your foundation for a lighter, glowy complexion (I wouldn't tend to do this as I need a certain amount of coverage but I can see how this would work really well for some people). You can also dab the product on your cheekbones and browbones to highlight certain areas. You would have to be really light handed with this product as it has a thicker consistency and is very concentrated so you would only need a teeny tiny bit! You can also mix the product with a moisturiser and apply to your body for a gorgeous glow.

Here's a swatch of what the product looks like on the skin. As you can see, you really don't need alot...

This is what the product looks like once it has been blended into the skin...

This would create a really nice effect under foundation as it's intense enough to show through foundation, but not so heavy that it makes you look shiny or greasy. You basically just get a very healthy radiance. My preferred method of applying it to my face would be under my foundation rather than over it. I prefer to use the Rouge Bunny Rouge highlighting liquid on my cheekbones are the consistency is alot thinner. This BECCA product does have a place in my makeup routine though and it has a more noticeable effect than other highlighters when applied under makeup. I like the fact that the gold shade is so wearable, I thought it looked too yellow at first but once you have blended it in, it really suits pale to medium toned skins.

I have had alot of comments before that people find these kind of highlighters give them a 'greasy' look and my advice to them would be to either apply it under their foundation for a subtle effect (using something like MAC MSF Natural to set foundation) OR only apply it delicately on the outer corners of your cheekbones (think along the lines of a 'less is more' approach). This will ensure that you have a lovely glow without looking overly shiny.

Becca Glossy Lip Tint

Every once in a while I try and step outside of my lipgloss comfort zone and yesterday was that kinda day. I decided to try to introduce a flash of colour to my lips, I wanted a lovely juicy colour and my gloss of choice was BECCA Glossy Lip Tint in Daiquiri... The website describes the gloss as "A long lasting translucent gloss that delivers radiant shine with a splash of colour. Deliciously scented with a hint of strawberry parfait, this luxurious formulation is silky-smooth and completely non-sticky". I can testify that it smells delish! It has a brush applicator which I normally wouldn't like as the brush fibres to to splay out and get messy after a while but this one feels like a really high quality brush...

The colour is a really juicy bright peachy pink which verges more on the orange side...now I would normally avoid orange gloss like the plague...but...this gloss is so flattering and wearable. It brightened up my whole complexion and is a real pick me up on dull days when you know that a touch of bright makeup is the only thing that will make it better. Here's a swatch to show the loveliness...

This gloss has a really nice consistency, not too runny and not too sticky, with slight shimmer that never feels gritty (a pet hate of mine!). It lasted a long time on my lips, it was still there even after I had a cup of tea, which for most glosses is the killer. Impressive stuff from BECCA. If you check the website, you will see that there is a ton of beautiful shades to choose from http://www.beccacosmetics.com/LIPS-Glosses/c6_22/p43/Glossy-Lip-Tint/product_info.html. I now have my eye on Cassis, Coconut Ice and Flirtini! I might drop some hints to Chris for a Christmas stocking filler!

This gloss gave my lips such a lovely sheeny glow of colour that didn't look at all over the top. The colour looks a bit brighter off cam and you can see that from the swatch. I am definitely going to check out more of these glosses as they are an easy way to wear a brighter lip colour without feeling like your lips are screaming out at everyone. So this would be great for anyone who normally sticks to nudes and naturals but wants to try something new. Go on, be a bit daring (ok, so it's not like bungee-jump daring but it's a start!).

Giorgio Armani Sheer Bronzer

As a lover of bronzing cosmetics and the golden look in general (although I am definitely a hater of the orange look), I like to dip into the bronzer of every brand going just to make sure I'm not missing out on an amazing product. Today I will be looking into Giorgio Armani Sheer Bronzer in Shade no.1. I already have a couple of bronzers that I use on a regular basis and I'm more than happy with them. Although, I believe that you can use different bronzers for different things. Some are better for all over use, some are better for a matte look, others are better for contouring and some are better for a more glamourous night time look etc. The packaging for this product is super sleek, as you would expect. This is a close up view of the Armani bronzer...

Shade no.1 is a really nice light to medium bronzer with slight shimmer through it. Although I don't like to wear shimmery bronzers during the day, however they can really work wonders if you use them lightly on specific areas of your face for a more radiant, luminous effect. The great thing about this bronzer is that it's sheer so it can be built up as desired. It gives a really satiny glow to the face when use on the cheekbones, temples and around the forehead. As long as you use a good mattifying powder to set your foundation, you can avoid the overly shimmery look. It doesn't look orange due to the more reddish/brown tones in it and it doesn't streak either. As you can see from the swatch below, the product applies very smooth on the skin...

The swatch looks quite shimmery but bear in mind that I had to apply it more thickly to get the colour to show up on camera. Because this bronzer is sheer, it doesn't look shimmery or glittery on the skin, it just looks really glowy. I think this bronzer would be really good for girls with fair skin as well as it easier to get a natural look with it. I think this is down to the fact that the product has no orangey tones in it whatsoever and the golden glow you get is just divine, like an ethereal glow. I personally wouldn't use this bronzer as an all over colour on my face as I think it would be too much, but it looks gorgeous when you apply it on your cheekbones,temples and forehead (applying it in the shade of the number 3 on the side of your face, if that makes sense). The only downside to this product is that it's a bit more expensive than your average bronzer, but I can report that I think it's worth it. It's a luxe product that looks and feels expensive and when I have a special occasion, it's product like this that make me feel just that bit more glamourous. Love it!

Bobbi Brown

Since I love the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliners so much and have tried the Graphite Shimmer and Bronze Shimmer, I was excited to try this shade which is called Violet Ink, a gorgeous aubergine purple shade with subtle shimmer through it. You all know I love my flicked out liner but I like to have a bit of variation in the colour since I tend to apply it everyday. I have never used a purple liner before but I am already formulating looks to include this product. As you would expect, this gel liner has fantastic pigmentation, it's long lasting, easy to apply and generally brilliant to use, I like to apply it with my small smudge brush from ELF - not the obvious choice but it actually works a treat to create any look you want, a thin subtle line or a dramatic thick sixties look. The other thing I love about these is that they last for ages! Let's take a closer look at this gorgeous colour...

I can see myself collecting every gel liner Bobbi Brown has to offer because I just find them so easy to use. They never go thick or gloopy over time and they retain their perfect consistency, which is really what every gel liner should be like. I love these and I definitely prefer them to MAC Fluidlines.

I have wanted to try the Bobbi Brown Oil Free Even Finish Foundation for a long long time and I finally tried it out in the shade Warm Beige. It's alot thinner in consistency than I expected, I thought it would be more like Revlon Colourstay. However, the thinner formula does come with the advantage of feeling alot lighter on the skin.

Although alot of people have complained that they don't like foundation bottles with no pump applicator, it's really not something that bothers me since I use my fingers and not a brush. Although the foundation doesn't offer as much coverage as Revlon Colourstay, it's most definitely a lighter alternative for daytime and also when my skin is behaving itself and I have less blemishes to cover. It actually smells quite nice, it's hard to explain but it smells fresh. To give you a better idea of the consistency, here's a closer look at the foundation itself...

I decided to do a FOTD to demonstrate what the finish is like, which I would describe as natural, slightly matte with a light to medium coverage. It's not a foundation that I would wear for a night out as I definitely need for coverage for that but it's ideal for daytime use when you just want a 'second skin' effect. I think that you need a good powder to set the foundation to ensure that it stays in place and I used Korres Wild Rose powder in this case. Here's the look I went for today using the Bobbi Brown foundation and Indigo gel liner...
I just used a very subtle light purple eyeshadow to offset the liner and it turned out to be a really natural polished look that is very wearable and I love how the purple shade of the eyeliner gives the whole thing a softer edge.

As you can see from the pics, the foundation gave a really nice finish and it was pretty much undetectable when you look up close. There's no chalky finish or a sense that it's clogging up your skin, it's just very light to wear. So, you can actually fool people into believing you have perfect skin! I really do believe that you need different foundations for various reasons, be it that you want a dependable daytime one, a dewy one, a matte one or one that will last on a big night out. This foundation falls into the day wear category for me and I am really happy with the effect it gives.

Have you tried either of these products?If so, what did you think of them?

Sleek Luminous Powder Review

I know alot of you guys wanted me to do a review of this product sooner rather than later so here it is! Now on first impressions, I'm not quite sure why they include a flat sponge applicator because this kind of thing would be useless for this powder (or any other product for that matter!). Why do so many brands insist on providing tools that are of no use whatsoever? They could save alot of money but just skipping that. Most girls have their own set of brushes to apply products. Here's a close look at the powder itself...

You can see the flecks of shimmer in it and the one I was sent is a warm golden colour (no.2) that swatches like this...

The first thing I notcied when I touched the powder is that it isn't as smooth as it could be, it feels like t should have been milled more thoroughly. You can't see the particles but you can feel them. This powder is probably best used as a highlighter on the very tops of the outer section of the cheekbones to avoid that shiny cheek look. Because it has slight shimmer in it, applying it all over the face could result in a whole lot of shimmer, which you don't really want if you're going for the subtle glowy look. The powder applies quite well in this way, I'm just a little disappointed that it isn't finer. Don't get me wrong, it's great value for what it is, but when I have the likes of Nars Albatross at my disposal which is amazing, the Sleek powder pales in comparison. I really wanted this to be a great dupe of the famous Nars powder but it didn't really live up to my expectations. It's priced at £5.99 but I would say that Prestige Skin Loving Minerals powder in Pure Shimmer would be better value for money if we are talking powder highlighters.

On the up side, I do like the warmth it brings to the cheeks, it's a nice colour and it does have a slightly illuminating effect. I think you could make it work as a subtle contouring powder as well (although I would only do that for a nightime look due to the shimmer).

All in all, the product is ok, but I think they could have worked a bit harder on the formula of the powder to make it feel smoother and more blendable, after all, that's what creates the 'flawless' look that a luminous powder such as this is trying to create.

If you have also tried this powder, let me know your thoughts!

Drama and Hourglass Goodies

Hi guys, hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was...eventful, shall we say. In short, I was in Edinburgh to celebrate a friend's birthday. I woke up on Saturday with an insect bite on my top lip but thought nothing of it. I started to feel awful during the day and went to bed early to sleep it off. But I woke up at 3am and my face felt tight and just weird and when I touched my cheek I knew something was wrong. I got up and looked in the bathroom mirror and my face was extremely swollen and red on one side (the side where I was bitten!). It was awful and really sore. I must have had an allergic reaction or something. Of course, me being me, I got all upset and freaked out. I held cold damp towels to my face and luckily it went down a bit. I took an anti-histamine on Sunday morning and that seemed to work wonders. My face went down alot so now it's just my top lip on one side that's swollen. It just looks like I've been punched in the face!ha ha. I have never ever had anything like this happen to me before so it was a bit of a shock. So that's my drama for the week.

Anyways, my fat lip aside, let's get down to business...

This is going to be a post on some Hourglass products, namely the Extreme Sheen Lipgloss, Superficial Lash Mascara and Calligraphy Liquid Eyeliner. First up is the lipgloss...

This shade is called Ignite and it's a nude beige with slight gold shimmer. This is a very wearable shade and it's actually warmer toned than I thought it would be. The shimmer particles aren't too overbearing and it didn't feel gritty at all on my lips. The website describes it as a "water-resistant lip gloss that comes in a range of pretty shades. It has a brush applicator, ensuring it glides on smoothly and evenly. It smells delicious, as lip glosses should". Here's a swatch...

The formulation is very good and it lasts a long time without having to re-apply. It doesn't feel overly sticky or gloopy like some long lasting glosses can. Although it's hard for any gloss to stay put through eating and drinking. All in all, this is a nice lipgloss but I wouldn't say it blew me away. The packaging is pretty slick however it costs £21 which I think is too pricey for a product that's just 'nice'. I would probably much prefer to get a MAC Lipglass which would be cheaper and also you have the choice of a greater range of shades.

Next up is the Superficial Lash Mascara...

The wand looks pretty much exactly the same as the one for Estee Lauder Sumptuous which can only be a good thing as the tapered end makes it easier to grab the little lashes in the inner corners without poking your eye out. The website describes it as "Lash-defining and color-rich, Superficial Lash is a hydrating formula that coats lashes in weightless volume and sheen. Eyes are instantly highlighted as lashes visibly increase in volume, length, and height".

This mascara definitely lengthens and curls but I wouldn't say that it added any volume to my lashes. It didn't clump on application and it lasted pretty well over the day with no flaking or smudging. I would say this mascara gives the lashes a natural look and to be honest that's just not what I'm interested in. I want dramatic lashes or at least the option to have a buildable formula. This mascara just doesn't have the wow factor for me.

Lastly is the Calligraphy Liquidliner in Ebony (Black)...

The website describes this liner as a "refined felt-tip precision eye liner, infused with botanical extracts and pearl protein, creates striking, definitive eyes without tugging or skipping. The longwearing formula quickly dries to prevent smear and transfer. The formula contains antioxidant-rich rosemary, perilla, chamomile, and aloe extracts to soothe and moisturise the eyes. This product is waterproof, but comes off easily with all eye make-up removers".

Now, in my mind, £23.00 for a liquid liner is somewhat ridiculous bearing in mind that my HG waterproof liquid liner is Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero SmudgeLiquid Liner and is priced as £17.00. Yes this Hourglass liner is goof proof and has a long lasting formula that doesn't budge BUT why would I spend £6.00 more on a product when I can get the same results at a cheaper price. I don't mind spending a bit more money if I think the product is well worth the splurge (Hello Rouge Bunny Rouge!) but this brand has just got their pricings all wrong. I think they have overpriced their products completely and if you don't have the substance to back up the price tag, then customers won't be impressed at the end of the day.

So overall, I'm not that enamoured with the brand to be honest, all of the products I tried were nice with practical sleek packaging but that certainly doesn't warrant the prices.

Have you tried these products?

Sleek Luminous Powder

I received an illuminating powder today from Sleek to try out called 'Luminous'. Basically, it's a powder designed to be used to set foundation and gives a radiant finish. It's infused with light reflective mica pigments to give a dewy look to the skin. From what I can tell, it's in the same arena as Benefit One Hot Minute Powder which I have spoken about before (although this product is not rose gold). I think you would use it in the same way. I'm not a fan of shimmery products all over my face but I will test this product out all the same as it may not give a shimmery effect. If it does, I can always try it out as a highlighter instead. I will take pics when I do a review on Monday and will include swatches but here's a high res pic to give you a better idea of what the powder looks like (shade no.1 shown below)...
The shade I received is no.2 which is a lovely pale golden colour and on first impressions, it doesn't look overly shimmery in the pan. Apparently, the powder minimises skin imperfections however I have found in the past that any kind of shimmer HIGHLIGHTS imperfections rather than the opposite. However, I am going to remain impartial until I have tried it out over the weekend. The powder is said to absord excess oils, has SPF15 and contains jojoba to give a light velvety powder. It's available in four shades to suit all skin tones (I haven't seen all four shades so I can't comment on whether it would actually suit all skin tones). I am interested to see whether it could be a dupe of something like Nars Albatross. It will be priced at £5.99 and will be available in Superdrug stores later this month.

I will post a review of this product on Monday so stay tuned!

RMK Blush in Holographic Coral

I have been getting more into blushes lately and this one is probably the best powder one I now have in my collection (my favourite cream blush being the Jemma Kidd one in Paw Paw). It's an RMK one in the shade 'holographic coral', but I would say it looks more like a soft pale peach. Although I'm not sure what's holographic about it because it's not shimmery or glittery at all (thank goodness!). I love the sleek silver packaging although I do think that they could have ditched the small brush and had more product in a bigger pan. The brush isn't very useful and I prefer to use one of my own blush brushes to apply it to the apples of my cheeks. The colour is so perfect for me...

It's very subtle, matte/stain finish and just gives my cheeks the right amount of colour. I tend to find that when I'm more tanned, peachy shades are more flattering on me. When I'm a bit paler, I can revert back to pale pinks. This blush is just gorgeous, doesn't look powdery or chalky and lasts really well throughout the day. I am not really into bright blushes and I often find that with them, it's too easy to overdo it (you don't wanna be looking like Coco the Clown!).

What's your favourite Blusher at the moment?

Too Faced Palettes

Ever since seeing these palettes on Tali's blog (a.k.a The Gloss Goss), I have wanted to try them out. I LOVE the packaging with all the glittery bits on it, its so pretty! This kind of thing is totally up my street. First up, is the French & Fabulous Palette... The palette has 6 eyeshadows in it and two bronzers so it would be extremely handy for travelling and has a mirror for touch-ups. All the shadows are very wearable (you would be surprised how wearable the hot pink shade is when you pair it with one of the neutral ones). I adore the animal print look to the top bronzer, it's a unique twist on a powder...

Here's a closer look at the products inside...

I am in love with Totally Toasted Beige and Totally Toasted Brown as a subtle neutral combination for daytime. This can also be vamped up with the Ooh & Aah Black if you wanted to take the look into nightime. I thought the glitter particles in the black shade would create alot of fallout but as you will see from the swatch below the glitter doesn't show up as much as I thought it would which suits me fine as that can get messy...

I have just done the swatches in the order of the pans in the palette. The only shade I was disappointed with was the Poodle Puff Pink which wasn't as pigmented as I would like but the other eyeshadows more than make up for that! Poodle Puff Raisin is unlike any other eyeshadow I own, it's a purple toned brown but it's so easy to wear, it really surprised me that a shade like that could suit me but it does.

Here are the swatches of the bronzers...

These bronzers are fantastic quality for a palette, generally you find that when creating this type of palette, alot of brnads tend to overlook blushers or bronzers. They usually look and feel cheap but these bronzers are finely milled, smooth and buttery and very impressive. The animal print one (shown on the bottom) would actually be amazing as an eyeshadow as well. It's alot more shimmery than the top one and I would probably use this more as a highlighter than an all over face colour. The darker shade is perfect on my skin and creates a really natural golden glow without making you look orange or streaky. It isn't shimmery so it's more suitable for daytime use without looking too over the top.

Next up is the Glamour To Go III palette which is teensy weensy and so cute, this would easily fot in your pocket because it's so compact...

This palette would be great for those times when you want to take a few products on a night out to touch up your makeup but you only have a tiny bag. This palette has a top compartment with 8 gorgeous mini eyeshadow pans...

But it also has a bottom slide-out drawer with a blush and 4 lipglosses...

Once again the eyeshadows are just lovely (there are a couple of shades that look very similar if not the same as the last palette). I was alot more impressed with the pink shade in this palette as the pigmentation has alot better. The green shade on the top left is actually very flattering. I am also loving the taupe shade on the top right, this would be amazing paired with the pink! The camera really didn't do these colours justice...

Here's what the glosses look like as swatches (I will try and incorporate these into a FOTD so you can see what they look like on the lips)...

There's a pink toned lipgloss, a beige one with a metallic like finish, a red toned one and a sheer peachy natural one. Pretty much everything you need really.

LOVING the blush in this palette...such a gorgeous peach colour with a really luminous glowy effect. It just gives a natural flush to the cheeks without making you look shiny or shimmery. I always prefer satin or matte finish blushers for the daytime as they more suitable if you want to fake glowy cheeks!

I am really impressed with palettes, from the design of them to the quality of the products inside them. I love how practical and compact they are. I will be playing with loads of colour combinations this week and hope to post something else on them to show what looks I have come up with. Have any of you guys tried these yet?