MAC Haul

Since I hadn't bought anything from MAC in a while, I decided it was about time I offloaded some more money (like I need to at this time of year???) I got a few products that I have heard ALOT about and finally I can score them off my lust list - hurrah! Here's a rundown of what I got:

1)Lovelorn Lipstick (Blue toned Pink Lustre Finish)
2)CremeSheen Lipglasses in Partial to Pink (Light creamy yellow pink with light gold pearl) and 3)Boy Bait (Light neutral beige with pearl)
4)Cream Colour Base in Pearl (Soft pale gold with icy shimmer)
5)Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Face Powder
6)Eyeshadows in Satin Taupe (Taupe brown with silvery bronze shimmer, frost), Parfait Amour (Vivid bluish-violet duochrome*with violet opalescent shimmer, frost) and Naked Lunch (Minimal pink with shimmer, frost)

Here's a close look at the lipstick and gloss wands...

L-R: Lovelorn, Partial to Pink, Boy Bait. I really like the bluish pink shade of Lovelorn and it is just that bit brighter than the other MAC lipsticks in my collection. I think it's really wearable though and particularly pretty when combined with the Partial to Pink gloss. As with most MAC Lipsticks it has a smooth texture when applied and has great pigmentation. I really like the formulation of the Cremesheen glosses, they feel moisturising on the lips and are not too sticky. It's swatching time!

Top to Bottom: Boy Bait, Partial to Pink, Lovelorn.

I had to get this product after AlphaBlonde (Aleksis) raved about it in a YouTube vid and on her blog...I have the CCB in Shell already and I love it so a pale golden shade sounded wonderful! I am so happy I got this because it's just beautiful and very much like a cream version of Nars Albatross highlighter. I have heard a few people saying they find it too sticky or difficult to apply. I have never had that problem because I rub a very small amount of the product into the back of my hand until it is distributed evenly, then I tap my fingertips on the product and then apply it lightly to my cheekbones. If you try to apply it directly to the skin then you will get uneven patches and it will look too heavy. So if you struggle with this product then give that method a go before you write it off as a bad product. I adore this product!

Here's a swatch of the gorgeousness!

I had heard about this product from Killacam at Eclectic Beauty, when she listed it on her blog as a product that gives a completely flawless finish...I'll have some of that please! I'm all for any powder that can deliver a soft matte look whilst making my skin glow (I'm wondering if it can surpass MAC MSF Natural which I currently use).

And last but not least, here are the eyeshadows I bought. I decided to just buy the e/s refill pans so I could pop them stright into my palette. I have wanted to get Satin Taupe forever, everyone seemed to rave about it so I caved in and got it. And boy am I glad that I bought it. It's an absolutely gorgeous colour and teamed with Naked Lunch, an everyday essential shade for a neutral eye. Naked Lunch was a shade I wanted to get after watching countless Kandee The Makeup Artist vids on YouTube where she uses it as a brow highlight and in the inner corners of the eye. It's a gorgeous soft pink/beige and I can tell I will hit pan with this e/s VERY quickly! Parfait Amour is an amazing colour that I wanted to get after Aleksis (Alphablonde) used it in a tutorial and talked about it on her blog. This e/s is such a beautiful colour and it is so unique!

Here are the swatches and I am sure you'll agree that all 3 eyeshadows are gorgeous!

I am so happy with everything I got (I love it when that happens) and I also like it when I get products that I have been lusting after for ages.

Have you guys tried any of these products?

Sales Galore!

I got a couple of vouchers as Christmas presents so naturally I trotted on down to the sales as soon as possible. Every shop seemed to have a sale on and in typical 'me' style I ended up getting a load of stuff I didn't REALLY need and none of the stuff I really do need! Why does that always happen???I always get seduced by nice shoes and pretty things! I would normally go for alot of bright colours but I seemed to be in a grey mood today for some reason, but then again, I don't own many grey coloured clothing.

Firstly I got a pale grey embellished vest top from Oasis with some gorgeous detailing around the neck. It's a really comfy top that would glam up jeans and a blazer... I love the beading detail...

Ever since Zara came to Aberdeen, I have had my eye on their shoes and bags as they have some really nice details that I haven't seen anywhere else. I spotted these black suede shoes with gold 'snake' chain metal detail at the front.

These have a slight platform, just the way I like my shoes, this makes them that bit more comfortable to wear. Here's a closer look at the detailing on the front...

I also got another dress from Oasis that is very much in the 'glam sporty' category. I intend to wear this pale grey silk dress with leggings for daytime and glam it up with shoe boots or platform shoes for night time. You can wear this dress with or without the straps and it comes about 2 inches above the knee.

This next dress has to be my favourite item of the whole shopping trip, it's a heavily embellished dress from Monsoon. This gunmetal grey minidress is quite heavy so it feels really luxe, sits about 3 inches above the knee and is just really gorgeous on. It hangs perfectly and is really flattering, it's just fitted enough to show your shape but loose enough to be super comfortable. I can't wait to wear this at New Year with shoe boots or killer platform stilettos. I got this dress for half price at £47.50 and it's worth every penny!

I have a couple of other limited edition dresses from Monsoon and they have lasted me for about 4 or 5 years and I expect this one will last me a long time too. They are very well made and tend to be the type of design that transcends past the next few seasons. Here's a closer look at the beautiful detail on the dress...

Lastly, I picked up another 100% one shouldered silk dress from Monsoon in a beautiful raspberry pink/red colour. It's quite a short dress, with gorgeous frill detail down the right hand side of the dress. I mainly picked this for the colour as I don't have anything else like this. I can't wait to wear it with the black heels above and my black sequin blazer!

So did you guys pick up any bargains in the Christmas sales???

Christmas is over :(

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas...I have really enjoyed reading everyone's posts about their decorations and presents they got. My post is a bit late but I just wanted to take a small break from blogging to enjoy Christmas time. I spent Christmas with my parents, brother and fiance (and the dogs) and we had a great time eating too much, drinking too much and watching too much TV! My mum did a great job of decorating the house and it looked really warm and welcoming...

I especially love this Santa that sits on the fireplace...

The tree also looked so pretty!
This is one of our dogs, Findlay, as you can tell he was REALLY excited about what santa might bring him and so was his Christmas teddy bear!

But Findlay (right) and our other dog Hamish finally settled down for the night, tucked up with their teddy bears (of which they are MANY...too many!).

As you can see our dogs are spoilt! Here's Hamish posing for a pic with me on Christmas day (maybe it's true about what they say...about dogs looking like their owners!)

I got so many great presents this year and I thought I would show you a small selection of them. First up are some studded suede shoe boots I got from my Fiance's mum and dad (they are from a shop called AB10)...
They also got me a black patent bag with gold detailing from Jasper Conran and I really love this bag. It will go with everything!

They also got me a dress from French Connection which I had been eyeing up for months. It looks loose in the picture but the dress is actually quite fitted, a couple of inches above the knee and it's really flattering...My mum and dad got me this gorgeous buttery soft tan leather jacket which I know will last me for years to come. I have never felt such soft leather before! I have already been formulating all the outfits that will go with this!I hope you guys got some lovely presents and had a great time and I look forward to reading some more of your posts!

Review Of Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation & Metallic e/s

I wanted to do a quick review of these two products which were sent to me recently. The products in question are the Skin Foundation in Natural (no.4) and Metallic Eyeshadow in Golden Peach (no.17).

I have been very curious about the Skin Foundation ever since I read Bubblegarm's review on it back in February. If you haven't read that, then you can click on this link http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2009/02/bobbi-brown-skin-foundation-spf15.html. I think everyone is so different when it comes to foundation, everyone has different priorities and preferences. I personally like a light foundation with medium coverage for summer but I need a medium-full coverage for winter as I get very rosy cheeks and nose (funny how I cover my rosy cheeks with foundation then apply blusher??!).

I love foundations with pump applicators as it makes things so much easier. The formulation is very light, almost runny but don't worry, it's not so liquid that it drips everywhere. I would say that the coverage is light to medium but it is described as buildable so you can always layer it until you are happy with the coverage (probably best done with a foundation brush). I think you always have to be wary of layering foundation too much though as it can look heavy if you're too heavy handed with it and ends up feeling like a mask. The 'Natural' shade really brightened up my skin and looked flawless, when you set this with a good powder like MAC MSF Natural or Korres Wild Rose Powder, this would photograph really well. It gives a radiant finish without looking shiny or greasy. As I said before, I would only wear this foundation once the cold weather has passed since the blustery winds really batter my skin so I need more coverage at the moment. This would be a fantastic foundation for spring/summer time because it's light on the skin, comfortable to wear, has SPF 15, is long lasting and makes your skin look so healthy. One thing I would add is that I would only wear this foundation on the days when I don't have a breakout as I feel more comfortable with more coverage when I have blemishes to cover. On my good skin days though I'm more confident and can get away with a lighter formula.

Next up is the Metallic Eyeshadow in Golden Peach and as soon as I saw this compact, I was impressed with how much product you get in the pan. The colour instantly appealed to me as you can't go wrong with a pretty metallic peach! This shade would be perfect for a neutral daytime look or as a base colour. It's so pretty as you will see from the swatch below, it gives off a lovely sheen on the skin and I can see this being a very popular every day werable shade for me. It's long-lasting and doesn't crease (but then most eyeshadows shouldn't if you apply them over a good base such as a cream eyeshadow). It blends into the lid really easily, is finely milled and has just the right amount of shimmer.

So both of these products were a hit with me, even though I would only wear the foundation in the Spring/Summer time, I still think it's a top quality product. I always like to change my products to suit the weather outside and as you will see from the photo below that Chris took this afternoon, the snow is pretty bad today!
I must admit though, it really feels like Christmas when you look outside and it's snowing, it's so festive! Saying that, I hope you guys aren't too affected by it because judging by the news today, alot of people have been caught out in the snow for hours on end in their cars and I really feel for them. So be safe everyone!

2009 Beauty Favourites

Shifa over at Get Gawjus has just done a 2009 Beauty Favourites post and since I love reading those kind of posts myself, I thought I would do my own one. It's just a list of products that I have been using this year that have really impressed me and will continue to be a part of my beauty regime. AND just to make it fair, I'm only going to list products that I paid for with my own money. So, lets get started...
1) Nars Albatross - I can't emphasise how much I love this powder highlighter. I first heard about it when I started reading beauty blogs at the start of the year and after coveting it for months, I finally bought it. The compact was alot smaller than I thought but funnily enough, the product lasts for ages as you only need a little bit. Nothing else in my makeup collection surpasses this pale yellow powder for a gorgeous, ethereal, subtle glow that photograhs beautifully.

2) Forever Living Aloe Propolis Cream - This is the best moisturiser I have found for my skin because it's all natural so it's gentle on the skin, super nourishing, sinks into your skin without leaving a greasy film, perfect for day or night and it's fantastic for rashes or irritated skin. I recently got a bad rash on my face as a side effect of taking antibiotics for my chest infection/pneumonia. Nothing would budge it UNTIL I started using this cream again. Within two days my skin was back to normal and that's why I love this cream! 3) Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment - Ok so I do harp on about this product alot but thats because it has done great things for my hair. It leaves it in amazing condition, shiny, manageable, bouncy and really soft. I dont completely follow the instructions as I apply it as my conditioner instead of using it between my shampoo and conditioner, I think this product is enough to condition your hair on it's own. My hair has definitely grown more in between hair appointments whilst I have been using this about 4 times a week. I just bought my second tub and I'm recommending it to all my friends!

4) YSL Rouge Voluptes - Anyone who tells you that you shouldn't be paying £20 for a lipstick has never tried a Rouge Volupte. These are HG lipsticks and I know that I just can't resist their heavenly formula or super luxe packaging. It's a luxury using these lipsticks and the only downside is that they don't last as long as you would like. However, I would quite happily bin all my other lippies, including all my MAC ones, in favour of these babies. Nothing else comes close in my opinion.

5) Xen Tan Mousse Intense - You would assume from the name 'intense' that this would give you a super dark tan, but it doesn't. It's somewhere between the effect you get from gradual tanning mositurisers like Dove Summer Glow and St Tropez. I use this when I want a little bit more colour for a special occasion. I much prefer the golden look to an all out dark fake tan, it can be ageing if you go too dark. This mousse formulation dries really quickly, moisturises and smells alot better than any other fake tan I have tried. I have never experienced any streaks or patchiness with this product and that's why it's my fool-proof way to get a subtle golden glow.

6) Loreal Lash Renewal Serum/Double Extension Mascara - This is kinda two products but I love them both so it's allowed! I bought the serum/mascara duo first and I was really impressed with it. The white serum that coats the lashes really does make a different to the length and volume without clumping. The mascara doesn't smudge or flake and lasts all day on me, whilst giving me lovely lashes. The renewal serum designed to help your lashes grow and become more voluminous has also helped to fill in any sparse patches in my lash line and I continue to use this every second night. I often get asked if I am wearing false eyelashes and my dad made a comment that my lashes are "scary long".ha ha.

7) ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Natural - I bought this because I watched a video on You Tube by Lollipop26 where she raves about this eyeshadow so I thought, what the heck. I got it and it doesn't look like much in the pot but when you put it on, it is so so pretty. It's like a golden, sheeny, slightly peachy colour and it's just so flattering. It's definitely something I wear at least 3 or 4 times a week, on it's on and also with darker neutral shades. It's just such a gorgeous colour, would flatter almost anyone, SUCH good value for money (I use mine regularly and still have loads left after 4 months use). It's very high quality and would rival any high end mineral eyeshadow. I always get compliments on this eyeshadow which is unusual for such a neutral colour. I just think it's a gorgeous gorgeous product. 8) MAC Underage Lipglass - I had this on my lust list a long time before I bought it and I'm glad I finally caved in all those months ago. This is such a gorgeous lipgloss and it lasts such a long time. I've heard alot of people don't like the formulation but I do like it because it long lasting and alot of the lighter formula glosses only last 5 minutes before disappearing. I love this shade as it's a perfect partner to my pink and nude lipsticks. It also tones down any brighter lipstick shades, turning them into a colour thats more flattering for me.9) Korres Monoi Oil Bronzer - This is such a fantastic bronzer and I love the bronze/brown coloured packaging. It's moisturising, never streaky or patchy and gives a really natural colour to the face. It's never looks orangey or over the top. It's versatile as it doesn't have shimmer running through it when applied so you can use it all over as as a contouring colour. Mine has lasted a long time, I've had it for around 6 months and I havent even hit pan yet! This bronzer is well worth the money.
10) L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil - This shower oil is a real luxury, it's so lovely to use and your skin feels unbelievable afterwards. There's no need to apply body moisturiser because the shower oil seeps into your skin and keeps it nourished. I love anything that saves me time in the mornings! It smells delicious and creates a really soft lather (it's best to use it with a shower puff so you only need a small amount of product). Your skin won't feel greasy or slippy when you get out of the shower, just amazingly soft and supple. It doesn't irritate the skin and can be a real benefit to anyone with dry skin. Perfect for winter!

I could have listed so many more products but I thought I would keep it to just 10. Let me know if you post something similar to this as I am always interested in everyone's favourite products.

I only went into Boots for one thing...

Although the ground was well and truly covered in snow yesterday and it was freezing, myself and Chris had to venture out to pick up some food. It was too icy and dangerous to drive far, but we popped down to the nearest supermarket and there just happens to be a Boots right next to it. I wanted to pick up a lighter shade of Revlon Colourstay as my skin is definitely a bit lighter now that we have hit the cold weather. I was wearing True Beige but I've found that Natural Beige suits my current skintone alot better and blends in seamlessly. Of course, I can NEVER just go in for one thing...I get distracted in Boots by all kinds of things... First I spotted some festive exfoliating gloves and what made them festive you ask???Well, they had silver glittery thread running through them of course! Yes, Boots saw me coming a mile off! They know that us girls look sparkly things at this time of year and I convinced myself that I needed new ones anyway. They do a great job and have saved me alot of money in body scrubs. Then I thought, I'm a bit pale at the moment and I'd like a bit of a glow (not a dark tan as that looks a bit silly in the middle of winter!) so I toddled along and picked up some Dove Summer Glow, I like the subtle colour it gives you. Then I remembered that I had almost run out of Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment and since it has been such a brilliant addition to my hair care routine, I thought I better pick another tub up.

My French Manicure Nail Pen mysteriously went missing ages ago and I've missed it ever since so I picked up another one. If you haven't heard of these before then basically they are a fine tip pen used to paint the white tips on your nails. The last one I had was from a brand called Kiss and the colour was quite opaque but I wanted to try another one that gives a more 'pearly' natural look. So I picked up the one by Nailene. Then lastly I picked up some more Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash coz I can't live without this stuff.

So after all that and only intending to get one thing, I ended up spending almost £40! I am definitely my own worst enemy!

YSL

It felt like Christmas had come early when these goodies dropped through my letterbox this week! The people at YSL have been very kind and sent me some more products to try (please note that I do not get paid to review any products from any brand). They sent Teint Resist Foundation in no.4, Matt & Radiant Pressed Powder in no.3, Rouge Pur Lipstick in 144 and Gloss Pur in no.2 & no.4.
Just look at the detail on the powder pan below...I LOVE that kind of pretty attention to detail, the only thing is it's so lovely, I didn't want to disturb it! The powder promises a soft matte finish that adds radiance to the skin. I found that this powder works in the same way as MAC MSF Natural in that it adds a natural glow to the skin and is fantastic for setting foundation. It's buttery soft, light as a feather and non-powdery, basically a very high quality powder which you would expect from YSL. It has a very, very slight pale pink tone to it so it really brightens the complexion. The only gripe I have with it is that you get alot more product for your money with MAC MSF Natural.
The foundation has a very light formula and I would say that it offers a medium coverage which is fine for every day use. It blends into the skin seamlessly and lasts all day, whilst being transfer resistant. I like the fact that it has a pump applicator as that keeps messiness to a minimum and you don't end up wasting any product. The finish of the foundation is very natural and there's no sign of cakiness, it's virtually undetectable on the skin. I liked the foundation but, at this time of year, I like a little bit more coverage as the cold weather makes my cheeks and nose go bright red (not a good look!) and this foundation doesn't quite cut it in those conditions. I think I will stick to my MUFE or Revlon Colourstay for now.
The Rouge Pur Lipstick in 144 is a gorgeous peach and I would say it's definitely a true peach, but it's still soft enough to be flattering. I really like the smooth and silky formulation of the Rouge Pur Lipsticks, they glide on and feel so moisturising on the lips. They don't last quite as long as you would like and I think I get through them alot quicker than any other lipsticks (apart from Rouge Voluptes which are the worst offenders but oh so pretty). I always find the packaging for the Rouge Pur Lipsticks to be alot more flimsy and plasticky than the Rouge Voluptes and I wish they would make the Rouge Pur cases a bit more 'heavy' and 'luxe'.
If I'm being totally honest, I prefer the Golden Glosses to the creamy look of the Gloss Pur's. I think that's just because I like a bit of shimmer though...what can I say...I'm a magpie! Saying that, these glosses are lovely to apply, they have a great brush applicator and they are non-sticky and long lasting. I was a little scared by the fuschia colour although it actually applies a bit more sheer on the lips and is surprisingly wearable. My favourite is the Light Peach shade which is so flattering and gorgeous, it's amazing over pink or nude lipsticks! SO my kind of colour.

Zuneta: The real personal touch...

You guys will have seen a few of these posts already but as with the other posts, I felt I just had to show my appreciation for Zuneta's ultimate personal touch...a Christmas present! As you know, they sent a selection of beauty blogger's a small gift and I received the same one as Bubblegarm and Zoe, the Hourglass Prism eyeshadw duo. It was beautifully packaged with a ribbon as you can see and it came with a card.
In my opinion, it's very rare to come across a website/company who go to this amount of effort to thank their customers for their support over the year. I really like the website because it stocks some brands that are hard to find on the highstreet and of course, one of my favourite brands, Rouge Bunny Rouge.
The Hourglass eyeshadow duo is packaged in a lovely little bronze case with a swivel mirror. The eyeshadow duo is perfect for my colouring and I'm so pleased as it's a high quality product and I can't wait to create a nice smokey look with it.

I won't harp on about it too much as you will have read the various other posts but after being so pleasantly surprised with this package this morning, I wanted to say a big thank you to Zuneta for reminding us bloggers that there ARE companies out there who know how to make their customers feel special.

P.S. - It just started snowing here in Aberdeen! I love snow at Christmas!I'm just watching SATC film (the scene where Miranda and Steve meet on the bridge, gets me every time!)