Who doesn't love a MAC Haul….

So….yesterday I spent the day in Dublin - I was going to see a show in the evening but I thought I would take the day out of it and go shopping as well. I kind of planned in my head some things I would like from MAC but to be honest I got a little carried away with myself and I have the guilts for buying all of this. Especially when my car insurance is due next month…oops! At least I will have nice make up, right? Anyway, here is what I got…

I have been really unhappy with how my makeup sits on my face so I thought I'd give the Skin Base a go. I've never used a primer in my life so it will be interesting if this will make a difference for me. I've wanted to try the Pro Longwear concealer for a while so I got it in the shade NW15. I needed a new gel eyeliner so I got Blacktrack (I used this today and oh my god! It's so creamy and easy to use!) and of course I couldn't go without getting a couple of lipsticks. I also got Fix+, I had been meaning to get this for a while so that I can spritz my brushes with it and enhance certain eyeshadows. I didn't know that MAC have just come out with scented Fix+ so I got the lavender one! It smells really nice!

The lipsticks I got are Syrup and Peach Blossom! I wore Syrup straight after I bought it and I really love it! It really is such a gorgeous neutral shade and it doesn't come out as purple as it looks. Haven't tried Peach Blossom yet but after seeing it feature on makeupmonster.ie a few times I knew I had to have it!


So there you have it, that is what I got in MAC. I have to be honest, it was really busy in the store and I didn't quite enjoy being in there but I am really happy with what I got, even if I did spend a little bit more than anticipated! I could have gone even more overboard, I'd love to try one of their blushes and even experiment with some pigments or something!

A "meh" product! Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

It's a common enough occurrence when you try a product that you neither like or dislike, and just think it is very average. This is one of them for me!

I had Debenhams vouchers to spend, and not actually "needing" anything I thought I would wing it and try something new. I had read that Urban Decay had some new "Naked" releases in the form of face products, so I thought I'd give the concealer a whirl. I actually have been trying to find something to brighten up my under-eyes.

Choosing a shade was rather a challenge, and a lesson as to why it's a bad idea to blindly order make up online. I chose "fair neutral" - as I don't believe I have a warm or cool complexion and I thought "fair" would suit my pale (un-tanned) skin. I didn't realise it would look so…. white! If anyone asks, I'm going for the Kardashian make up look!

Shade comparison with my other concealers - 

left to right - Urban Decay Naked Concealer Fair Neutral - Clarins Instant Concealer Shade 01 - Loreal True Match shade Vanilla

I can't explain why I am unimpressed with this concealer. I just feel that it is nothing to write home about. It didn't give me the "wow" factor like the Clarins Instant Concealer .

It blends out so sheer that I really don't feel it does anything for me. I guess it really is weightless then!  It isn't all that creamy and whilst it claims not to crease, I can't confirm or deny that claim since I have natural lines around my eyes, any product is going to crease on me.

If I paid full price for this concealer I would be rather disappointed. I am sure there are many drugstore alternatives which would work just as well. The good thing I can say about the Naked Skin range is the massive shade range (As opposed to only 3 shades available in the Clarins concealer!).

What do you think of this concealer? Have you tried it? Would you be tempted to try it?

Quick Six Product Face

In the mornings when I am going to work, the last thing I want to be doing is spending ages doing fancy make ups. I'd sooner have the extra time in bed! I work in an office so I don't really see anybody, and frankly I just can't be bothered in the mornings. But I still feel like I need to wear something!

Sometimes if I am running late I will bring my make up with me and apply it when I am stuck in traffic on the way to work! So I prefer to use products that I don't have to use make up brushes.

First up, I will put on a bit of foundation. Pictured is MAC Face & Body which honestly I don't really like anymore, but for work I don't like using any of my "good" foundations so I am just trying to use up this big bottle!

Then I need something for under my eyes. I started using the Urban Decay Naked concealer this week and I am still not entirely sure about it. The formula is quite good and I do like the finish of it. But there is just something a little "off" with it. I think it is because I accidentally bought a shade which is a bit too white for me.

I use my NYX Eyebrow Pencil, which is fabulous. It's dead handy for on the go as it is a twist up crayon. It works brilliantly for me!

I am using Lancome Grandiose Mascara, which I really do love. The wand is really quite precise and it just really works well for me. I do love all Lancome mascaras though. This is the one which just happens to be in my make up bag.

I use YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush for my cheeks. It's really easy to apply with the wand and then I just tap it in with my fingers.

For my lips I am obsessed with Clarins Instant Light Lip Balms! This is the shade Rosewood which is just a really neutral colour and perfect for everyday wear. They are so soft and comfortable and just gift a subtle hint of colour. Just what I want!



What are your every day essential make up products?

Fresh Spring Make Up!

Spring is definitely well on the way and as such, I always  feel the need to change up my make up slightly. Winter is a time for heavier make up and I like to go a bit "lighter" when Spring comes along. I have some new products to play with today, and decided to show you what I am using.
Just yesterday I treated myself to a new foundation, I got Chanel Vitalumiere. I heard it is quite good for dry skin and so far today it looks great and has lasted a good few hours without emphasising any dry patches! MAC Cinderella is also making an appearance, as is the Clarins The Essentials palette which I won in the amazing Make Up Monster's blog giveaway! Thank so you much again!

Here are the products I used with shade names:

Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation - 10 Limpide

Sleek Eyebrow Kit - Light

Clarins Instant Concealer - 01

MAC Paint Pot - Painterly

Clarins The Essentials Eyeshadow Palette

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

YSL Babydoll  Kiss & Blush - 10 Nude Insolent

MAC Cinderella Iridescent Powder - Coup d'Chic

Clarins Jolie Rouge Lipstick - Coral Dahlia

I decided to go quite light on the eyes and I have ditched the eyeliner, instead I am favouring just using a dark eyeshadow and blending it up from my lash line. The Chanel foundation is lovely and so lightweight, I am really happy with it so far. Maybe I will do a full review of the foundation when I get to grips with it.
The MAC Cinderella powder I use as a highlight. It is way too sheer to use as a blush and it just adds a little luminosity to the face. It is lovely to use, perhaps not the best highlighting product out there, but it looks cute!

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

Clarins Instant Concealer Review

I am a little late to the party with this review! Basically, I realised I was in dire need of a concealer. I don't really get any breakouts and I use my Touche Eclat for under my eyes so I didn't really "need" a concealer!  I had my makeup done in Debenhams one day and realised how that something "missing" from my makeup routine was in fact, a nice creamy concealer. Clarins Instant Concealer was released last year. I really put my faith in Clarins makeup now and it has become my favourite brand, actually! So I knew that this concealer would be worth it.

The fabulous Makeup Monster mentioned this concealer numerous times on her blog and I knew then it must be amazing! You can read her review here.

I got the shade 01 which is a little warm but it does work for me. I don't tend to wear a concealer under my eyes as I am afraid that it will emphasise my under eye lines, but lately my Touche Eclat just isn't cutting it for me. Plus I am getting a little redness across my nose and cheeks. I need something with plenty of coverage and this is it! As you can see from the packaging it claims to smooth out the skin and revive tired eyes. I think the photos speak for themselves really!

 Before

After

You can really see the difference a bit of this concealer makes! It is a really creamy texture, so only a very small dot of this product is enough to cover your under eyes, nose, cheeks and any blemishes. You get 15ml of product for £21.00 - it may seem expensive but when you are using such a small amount it should be worth it. It provides amazing coverage, and now I don't know how I ever did my make up without it! 

Recently I also reviewed the Clarins Extra Comfort foundation (you can read that here ) and I think the Instant Concealer is a brilliant accompaniment to this foundation for a flawless finish. 

Are there any other concealers that I should look into? Particularly for under-eyes?

How Much Is My Face Worth?

I saw this tag on a few blogs, and I was so intrigued to do it myself.... I'm frightened of the result though!

These are the products I would use on weekends when I have a lot more time to do my makeup. During the week when I work I just use whatever is the quickest and easiest! But I enjoy taking time to do makeup for going shopping, going for lunch, etc.  So let's take a closer look at what I use and how much they cost...

Illamasqua Cream Blush -  £9.00 - I absolutely love this blush and I use it every day. The RRP is £18 but I got this when Illamasqua had their 50% off sale. This is the shade "Dixie".

MUA Highlighting Powder - £3.00 - I don't often use highlighters to be honest but I am trying to get in the habit of using them. I love this MUA one, and I actually prefer it to the more expensive ones like Benefit High Beam.

Lancome Teint Idole Foundation - £27.50 -  Oh, I cannot say how much I love this foundation! It is on the expensive side, but it isn't comparable to any other foundation in my opinion. It's just the best and is so beautiful to wear.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - £5.49 - This is a recent purchase. I am constantly trying out new concealers. I am completely paranoid about my undereye area. This one is probably the nicest one I have tried so far for under the eyes.

MAC Prep & Prime Line Filler - £16.00 - I told you I was paranoid about my undereyes! I got this recently too and although it makes only a small improvement, it is a great product and leaves the skin silky smooth.

Urban Decay Naked Palette - £37.00 - I am so in love with this palette. All my other eyeshadows have been neglected since I got this! All the shades are excellent and I use them all. This was so worth the money, if you break it down it costs around £3.00 per shadow.

Art Deco Dip Eyeliner - £9.00 - This eyeliner is fab. I am terrible at using liquid eyeliners, but for whatever reason I can apply this no problem. The applicator is just the right size/shape for me, and the formula is just the best and lasts all day.

Art Deco Eyeshadow Base - £8.00 - Many bloggers recommended I get this to prolong eyeshadow, so I went ahead and ordered it from BeautyBay.com and I have never looked back. It is, by far, the best eyeshadow base I have ever used (even better than Urban Decay Primer Potion, in my opinion). I use this every day I wear eyeshadow, and even after 12 hours of wear my eyeshadow still looks perfect.

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara - £22.00 - I love this mascara so much! Sadly I am using the dregs of this one, I have put this mascara on my Christmas wish list though! I don't think I can go without it! What makes it so good, I think is the wand. It is just brilliant and it makes my lashes so long and full.

Essence Eyebrow Pencil - £1.50 - I have pretty horrid brows, but you can forget your fancy HD palettes and waxes, give me a brow pencil and I am a happy girl. This pencil is of an excellent quality and I wouldn't really bother spending any more than this when this one works so well for me!

EOS Lipbalm - £5.99 - Today, I cannot really be bothered wearing lipstick or anything that needs touching up! So long as my lips feel hydrated I will be happy enough. I am using my EOS which I love. The scent is lovely and the balm feels so nourishing. I wish they were tinted balms though, but nevermind. I ordered this one from Naturismo.

So the total is.... £144.48 .... I must say I am in total shock! I really didn't think it would be so much! Although this really is cheating, I should be dividing this amount by the number of times I will use these products, which will be many more times of course. But the final figure is quite shocking initially!

If you have done one of these posts, please leave me the link below because I would love to have a look!

My Artdeco Palette.....so far!

I got this Dita Von Teese Quadrat box in Debenhams. I saw it was onsale for about £10.00. It's quite a nice size. Slowly but surely, I will fill this thing up! Here's what I have so far...

Eyeshadows L-R: 185, 520, 450

 Sorry for the bad swatches! The purple is so rich and deep. The taupe-y shade is perfect for everyday and I absolutely love the white, it is so pearlescent and shimmery!

 This is the concealer, which I got during summer when I wore fake tan almost every day. It was the perfect shade for me then! It is a bit too dark for me now when I am tan-less so I will have to invest in a lighter shade too. This concealer is in shade 5. Honestly, this is the best concealer I have ever used, it hides everything! It's a little to heavy to wear under your eyes though.

I love the "Beauty is Art" inscription in the mirror.


Do you know what would be great, I was thinking if I was able to stick in a couple of lip colours, face powder & blush. Then this would be a perfect palette to take in your handbag for touch ups! Sadly only the eyeshadows, blushes and concealers are magnetic.

The little Artdeco eyeshadow pans are so tiny, this is a great place to store them! Hopefully as time goes on this will be full of gorgeous Artdeco shades. They are quickly becoming my favourite brand! Everything Artdeco does is so glamorous and reminds me of the 1930s, which of course I love.

So I will do an updated post in the coming weeks/months when I have added more to my collection!

Benefit Fakeup....a disappointment

I was quite eager to try out this concealer ever since its release several months ago, however the £18.50 price tag seriously put me off. Benefit used to be my favourite cosmetic brand back when I was a teenager. However, now that I have tried other brands, both drugstore and high end, I now realise that Benefit are seriously overpriced for what they are. Their make up is definitely not worth the price. I could get the same quality for a fraction of the price. Anyway, back to Fake Up.

I was quite intrigued by this "hydrating ring" surrounding the actual concealer. Plus with claims of being crease-free, naturally I wanted to try this. Me wearing undereye concealer usually results in my eyes looking incredibly wrinkly, as the product quickly settles into my natural eye creases (I don't have wrinkles yet!).

I actually won this concealer on a Twitter competition, I was so happy I could finally try it out without paying the extortionate price. I chose the shade medium, as I tested these out once in Debenhams and the "light" shade was incredibly white.

I have to say I am really, very disappointed. It is a really nice looking product, the packaging looks fantastic and certainly the idea of a hydrating undereye concealer is most appealing especially to those with dry skin. My skin isn't super dry, and I am thinking perhaps this product would work better for people that do. When I first applied it, I couldn't help but feel that the product felt very "wet". It made my skin look really shiny and greasy. Within minutes it had settled into my fine lines. Also, as a "concealer", it doesn't conceal too much! The coverage is super super light. If you want to use this on blemishes, it won't work. The hydrating part of this concealer meant that when I started blending it out, the product more or less all disappeared.

 Can you see the "wet" look around the swatch here? 

So, not a great product in my opinion. Perhaps if you have really dry skin this may work for you, but I think it is a bit much calling this product a concealer when it has such light coverage. I recently just got an ArtDeco Camouflage Cream which is a terrific concealer and only cost around £7.00. 

Have you tried Benefit FakeUp? What were your impressions?

Mini Haul!

I went shopping today and picked up a few things!

I picked up another couple of items from Essence (I told you it was my new favourite brand!). The 3 in 1 concealer was £2.30 and the foundation was £3.40. I didn't particularly need a new foundation or concealer but I thought I might as well give them a go. The foundation is quite nice, it's certainly not the worst that I have tried! This shade was the palest colour they had in the chemist, it's a little too dark for me but I could use it when I have fake tan on.
I can't really review the concealer properly, because I have only used the pink segment which is for under-eyes. It is really good! I don't have dark circles but my undereyes look quite dull and this really brightened them up. And it is so light in texture too.

 

I got this lovely China Glaze polish in the shade Ruby Pumps! I said before that the previous China Glaze polishes were quite gritty in texture, but this one is so lovely to apply, and I have a feeling it will wear better too. I know where it gets its name from, it totally reminds me of the Ruby Slippers from Wizard of Oz!

Finally, I treated myself to something I have had my eye on for a while now... it is Golden Vintage Eyelights by Dita Von Teese for Art Deco. It cost £25.00 from Debenhams.

I am going to post a little review of this product a little bit later on. It is absolutely stunning!

I am very happy with my purchases today, I will definitely get plenty of use out of all of them and I could recommend each product to others too!