Reaching for Recently

Oh my goodness it's been hot here! Living in the south west we've been getting the hottest of hot weather and boy it makes makeup choices tricky. I'm really not used to having my makeup slide off my face in the UK but some products just haven't been able to hack it!
With a little experimentation though I've found these products to all be fab, even in the heat and beating sun.

Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream- Foundation has been the biggest problem in the heat because most have just made my skin feel clogged or have just slid off but the Ginvera BB cream has held its own. I've been using it because of the good coverage, SPF 30 (definitely essential right now) and because, being from Singapore, the formula is able to stand up to heat and humidity.
MAC Coppertone Blusher- I use this as a bronzer rather than a blush and just use  little to contour cheeks and add definition but the colour is gorgeous in the sun and I find MAC powders are the best for being long lasting but weightless on the skin.
MAC Lightscapade Skin Finish- This is a product that I've loved since purchasing but as someone whos a little hooked on highlighters, it can tend to be a little neglected. In the same way as Coppertone, the powder feels weightless on the skin but sits beautifully and lasts for hours. I use this around the outer corners of my eyes, along cheek bones and down the centre of my nose to highlight...and it also helps keep my foundation on!
MAC Painterly Paint Pot- Always a staple product for me. I've found that more than ever I've been needing something to keep eyeshadow sat in place and MAC paint pots are simply unbeatable, especially Painterly as it also evens out colour and conceals dark circles.
Lush Strong Lipstick- The whole Lush Emotional Brilliance range has been really good through the heat actually. I find the colours stay in place, don't dry out and also don't spread half way across my face if I get sweaty. I've been wearing Strong a lot because the warm toned red is really pretty and on trend. The long lasting formula also really helps when you need to constantly be drinking water but don't have time to re-apply constantly :p
Lush Sophisticated Eyeshadow- Another Emotional Brilliance colour! Sophisticated is a soft, shimmery colour that is really easy to wear and I've been loving it just with a little mascara for a quick and effortless look that stays in place.
17 Lip Liner- One final staple has been a clear, slightly illuminating lip liner that stops lipstick from feathering across my face from excess heat. This one was really cheap but works just as well as others I've tried and for me, that makes it a winner!

Worn together, I think these items work really well and create a soft, fresh faced look thats easy to maintain in the heat.
One thing that I've really noticed though is that MAC seems to be an unbeatable brand in this weather, which only makes me love it more :)
Have you found your makeup routine has suffered in the sun? What products have you been reaching for most? Or have you been braving a bare faced look like I wish I was brave enough to?
Annie xx

FOTD- Fresh Faced and Wide Eyed

I think I may have found it! I mean my perfect non-designer foundation!
You may remember that the other day I blogged about some cheeky payday buys. One of those was the Instant Radiance Foundation by No 7 which I picked up for £12.50, well it turns out that its really great!

I admit that usually I'm a bit of a foundation snob because I think that there's no point in using high end paint on a cheapo canvas so I usually spend quite a bit to get the best base possible for my makeup but I've not liked a foundation this much since accidentally falling for the Dior BB cream so I'm more than happy...along with my bank balance! I won't say too much now because I have a full review coming up tomorrow, but for now I'll just say that the finish is light, dewy and fresh; just what I like for summer.

So whats on my mug?
Face:

• No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation in cool vanilla
• Nars Orgasm Blusher
• Lush Emotional Brilliance Sheer Powder
• Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora
• Lush Feeling Younger Highlighter

Eyes:

• Bobbi Brown Mahogany powder on brows
• MAC Painterly paint pot
• MAC Eclair paint pot
• Soap and Glory Thick and Fast mascara

Lips:

• Lush Strong lipstick
• Lush Vibrance lipstick

It always amazes me when I write down how many different products I use without realising. I swear it doesn't feel like it at the time. Do you find that too?

Have you tried any of the No 7 foundations? What do you think?

Annie xx

Makeup on the Go

I'm a bit of a control freak. I always have to do lots of planning and I tend to do a lot of thinking ahead so of course I have a little makeup kit in my handbag at all times, ready for lipstick re-application and powder emergencies :)
So what do I carry?

I got this Weird Fish tin in a goody bag from the designer fashion show during Bath Fashion Week and thought it was a pretty weird gift and couldn't for the life of me think of a use for it until I happened to clear all the lipsticks out of the bottom of my handbag and shove them in there for safe keeping temporarily. Temporarily kind of became permanently and other bits and pieces have been added to make a little emergency kit :)

Of course I have my holy grail tin of Lanolips Golden Ointment* (reviewed here) in there, ready to soften my skin if its ever feeling a bit sore and dry and a back up lip balm for if I can't find my faithful Lush Honey Trap one for whatever reason.
I also keep a small pot of Bare Minerals mineral finishing powder in there along with a mini kabuki to rid my face of any shine that may creep up during the day.
My lovely MAC Fast Fleet blusher has also made its home in my makeup tin because I've found its a great blusher for adding a little extra definition and colour to cheeks for an evening look so I use the Benefit brush that I've popped in there to do a spot of contouring after work so I can head straight out.
Finally, I always seem to have two or three lipsticks in the tin, usually one red and one bright pink because those are my two go to colours. In the photo above the lipsticks are MAC Girl About Town and Lush Power. Girl About Town lives perminantly in my handbag because I am so so in love with it, it's definitely my go to lipstick!

Occasionally if I'm feeling a bit bored I'll swap things around a bit and add an eyeshadow or if I know I'll be out over night I grab a mascara to go in the tin too, I also have wet wipes in my handbag constantly to battle panda eyes in the morning, but in general, this is my handbag makeup collection :)

Do you carry a makeup tin/bag around in your handbag? What do you keep in yours?
Annie xx

Makeup Mugshot- Taking the Plunge

For some time I've been debating getting a pretty major hair cut. I love my big, flowing mane but its a nightmare to wash and tangles like no ones business so, spurred on by the sunshine and an urge to be able to dye my hair without needing 2 bottles of dye I went and got chopped :)
So heres new Annie!

What do you think? I've had about 4 inches off the bottom and lots of shape and layering put in to give me back some bounce and I love it! The next step is to dye it a nice bright colour, I'm thinking maybe dark purple or red.
Makeup wise I've been loving black eyeliner in my waterline recently. Just enough to make my eyes look nice and bright without being too heavy, combined with fairly neutral eyeshadow and dark pink lips.

Face:
Bourjois 123 perfect foundation
Nars Orgasm blusher
Lush Emotional Brilliance face powder
Lush Feeling Younger highlighter

Eyes:
Bobbi Brown Mahogany powder on brows
Lush Sophisticated cream eyeshadow
Rimmel scandaleyes waterproof black eyeliner
Soap and Glory thick and fast mascara

Lips:
MAC Pink Nouveau lipstick

So what do you think of my new hair? Do you think it suits me? And the most important question; red or purple dye?
Annie xx

The Lust List- Makeup Edition

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Review: M.A.C Love Forever Lipstick

The other day I blogged about my latest M.A.C haul from CCO. One of the things I bought was the Love Forever  ProLongwear Lipcreme; a beautiful creamy pink lipstick with great staying power.

Its no secret that I love a bright pink lipstick...or any bright lipstick to be frank and this one definitely fulfilled my brightness quota.

Unlike the usual lipstick offerings from M.A.C this one isn't the usual bullet shape, and infitting with the lipcreme idea, the flat top is reminiscent of a more moisturising lip balm product. I do like this, but with a product that is so highly pigmented I think it does make it a little harder to apply neatly so I do favour the bullet shape.

The lipstick applies really easily and gives a bright coating of colour with just a couple of sweeps. I would describe the colour as a fairly bubblegum shade of pink that is paler than my usual Girl about Town or Moxie, but its really pretty and great for softening a rockier smoky eye. In the photo above I'm wearing it with M.A.C Blue Stripe powerpoint liner which I bought at the same time :) In terms of longevity I find that Love Forever lasts around four hours before I need to top up, and as its a creme rather than your average lipstick it doesn't dry out or make lips sore, yay!

Over all, I rate Love Forever really highly as a product and the only slight complaint I have is with the shape, but all it takes is a careful touch and you can still create a neat line.
How about you, what do you think? Is this a colour you would wear? Have you used a M.A.C lipcreme before? I'll definitely be looking out for more :)
Annie x

My Latest MAC Haul

It was almost two weeks ago now that I visited the Cosmetics Company Outlet in Swindon and topped up my beloved MAC collection with some bargains. For those who don't know, Cosmetics Company Outlet (CCO) is the outlet for all Estee Lauder owned brands, including MAC, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Origins, Smashbox and Bumble and Bumble. There are a fair few stores across America, however, in England I believe there are only three or four which makes the rare visits even more special.

For me, I was actually pretty restrained and only came away with two lipsticks, an eyeshadow pan for my palette and a kohl eyeliner. What made me most excited though was that the Venomous Villains lipstick, Violetta, and the Hey, Sailor! eyeliner, Blue Stripe were both limited edition products that I wanted but didn't manage to get hold of when they were in MAC stores.
So, what I got:
Pro Longwear lip creme in Love Forever- This lip creme is a pretty bright pink with a blue toned base. It is super long lasting but not at all drying like most long wear lip products. The composition is different to the average MAC lipstick which is why it is classed as a creme. I have a FOTD post lined up to review this already so that will probably be up in the next few days.

Venomous Villains Amplified lipstick in Violetta- Definitely my favourite buy of the haul. This lipstick is a gorgeous purple colour that is oh so bold against my pale skin. Once again it has a blue toned base but there is enough pink to it that it doesn't look too unusual on the skin. I haven't found this to dry out my lips at all, and it lasts around 4-5 hours before I need to touch up. Review to come early next week.

Ahoy, Sailor! Powerpoint eye pencil in Blue Stripe- I was drawn to this colour as the blue is so smokey and intense that it is almost black but with a sexy blue shimmer. Its hard to explain my love for it in a way that people will understand but it is an incredibly sexy colour. It is also a very long lasting, smudge proof liner which makes me so happy. Its actually what I'm wearing around my eyes in the Love Forever review so you'll see it soon!

Eyeshadow palette pan in Bright Sunshine- I've wanted a really pigmented yellow shadow for a long time and this one fits the bill perfectly. It is almost gold in some lights but it the perfect warm yellow shadow. I like to wear it either alone in a bright line along the top lash line, or blended in with a lime green for an uber summery look.

So theres my latest haul from MAC. What do you think? Have you got any of these products? Aren't they just so typically me?

Annie x

MAC by Request Swatches and Review

Recently I blogged about the latest collection released by MAC, MAC by Request. I ordered two lipsticks from the collection; Moxie and Candy Yum Yum and I've fallen head over heels with them so a review was definitely in order :)

Both lipsticks that I ordered have a matte finish and are pretty pink shades. I'm a bold lipstick person so this suits me just fine.

Candy Yum Yum is the first of the two that I tried. It is listed on the website as "neon pink" and its true that it is an incredibly bold, bright shade... or what I'd call Barbie pink. As it is such a statement colour, I would definitely recommend wearing with just a slick of mascara or with a small amount of subtle eyeliner so that you don't over do your look.

I find that the colour applies really smoothly to lips and gives a very pigmented colour. I always use a lip scrub before applying so that it doesn't cling to any dry patches. This colour can be rather drying after a few hours wear so carrying a lip balm around with you might be a good idea but over all, it is a fab colour that is surprisingly wearable if you're brave.

Moxie is a darker shade, described on the MAC website as "bright pink" however I dont think this is perhaps a true representation of the colour. Instead, I would describe it as a deep, blue toned pink. Another statement colour, I would again keep the rest of your makeup fairly simple with this lipstick, however I've been wearing it with Lush Fantasy eyeliner which is a sparkly gold colour, or thick black cat winged eyeliner so there is more scope here. I think rock inspired looks are great with it because it is just dark enough to hold its own.

I find that Moxie applies brilliantly, and doesn't emphasize any dry patches. I still use a lip scrub before applying for a smooth look, however that isn't as important as with Candy Yum Yum. A lot of lipsticks I own in similar shades tend to feather slightly however I have not found that with this lipstick. Again, it can be a little drying on the lips after a few hours but not as much as some. I find this colour very wearable and fairly versatile and would recommend it to anyone after a gorgeous dark pink shade thats still nice and bright.

The whole collection is still currently available exclusively online *here* and consists of these two lipsticks, a third lipstick, three lipglasses and three eyeshadows. I have been really impressed with the colour, staying power and versatility of the pieces that I bought so I think this limited collection is worth a look. I may have to add the third lip colour; Rocker to my collection, as well as the Cult of Cherry lipglass :P

What do you think of these colours? Would you be brave enough to wear them? Which is your favourite?
Annie x

MAC by Request

After a long wait, the MAC by Request collection has touched down in the UK and we can once again get out hands on some of the most popular discontinued products for a limited time.
Re-released are a collection of three lipsticks; Moxie, Candy Yum Yum and Rocker, three Lipglasses; Bait, Flash of Flesh and Cult of Cherry, and three eyeshadows; Guacamole, Jete and Moth Brown.

Each of these colours is totally gorgeous, and well worth a look. I've ordered Moxie and Candy Yum Yum to add to my lipstick collection because they're both amazing bright pink colours which I would wear constantly. Of course, I'll also pop up reviews when I get them.
You can take a look at the collection *here* and its well worth noting that the range is an online exclusive so don't wait to see it in stores because you won't be lucky.

Are you excited about the new range? Which colours will you be buying?
Annie x

The Beauty Junkie's "Light" Travel Makeup Kit

So we all struggle to pack light when it comes to taking makeup on holiday, however, I actually found myself  lying awake at night worrying about what I should take with me, the result? Below is my "light" kit of essentials that I couldn't bear to live without for three weeks.

At the end of the day I decided to just bite the bullet and take all of my favourites and give in to the fact I can't travel light. To make myself feel a little better I tested some of the products on how well they coped in the heat, I also tested how well the waterproof version of my very favourite mascara held up in comparison to its non-waterproof brother so I have a couple of posts lined up to tell you all about my findings :)
What I have learnt from taking so many products with me is that in the heat, I personally tended to keep the base as simple as possible, usually opting for a light application of Garnier BB cream (which I actually hate using in the UK), that a dusting of setting powder is a must, and that lip products tend to get neglected as they can make lips feel a little smothered; instead, the way to boost colour is by using a bright eyeshadow or liner as these feel light enough to be comfortable.
And finally, I was also cool enough to sit with a pad of paper and work out how much my light kit was worth and came to the shocking realisation that I had lugged £315 worth of makeup across to Mallorca with me! I doubt if I'd lost it all, my insurance company would have been too keen on paying that lot back haha.

Are you like me? Or are you harsh enough with yourself to actually manage to pack light? I just couldn't face not having any choice for so long. Does that sound familiar?
Annie x

The Lust List, Birthday Edition

I always find that the month leading up to my birthday I'm always wandering around looking for treats that I would love to receive. There isn't really much I need or want this year, I'm pretty contented with all the lovely things I've got, but these are the few bits that I am lusting after.

1. This pretty swallow jumper is actually from Marks and Spencer. Who would have thought it eh? But I tried this on and loved it straight away. I think I may have found my staple piece for autumn!

2. Bobbi Brown is very much one of my makeup inspirations and her books are a great source of beauty knowledge. I've wanted this book for quite a while now, its full of useful information, application tips, suggestions for how to keep you skin looking fab and also tells you a lot about getting into the makeup artistry business.

3. Unlike most beauty bloggers I haven't been particularly interested in the range from Real Techniques as I already have lots of fab makeup brushes that I'm really loyal to. However, I really need a new blush brush so I think its time to jump on the Real Techniques bandwagon.

4. Ahh, MAC lipsticks. I swear there is something just so beautiful about them. The one I'm lusting madly over is Girl About Town from the Amplified selection. Its a gorgeous bright blue toned pink and looks so striking against fair skin.

5. I saw these shoes blogged about a while back and can't remember who by. They're a cheap £12 dupe of a pair of Ted Baker loafers but they're just as pretty as the real thing. I love golden glitter so how could I resist :)

6. Finally is Nicki Minaj's album, Pink Friday Roman Reloaded. I love her style and her voice is amazing, I'm not really sure why I haven't bought this before, but it is very firmly on the list!

And of course who can forget the obligatory little extras such as chocolate, Topshop panties and anything cute/pretty :D

So those are my birthday lusts. Do you have a birthday coming up soon too? Whats on your lust list at the moment? I'll actually be in Mallorca for my birthday so even if I was to get none of the above, I don't care, the day is going to be amazing and I can't wait :)
Annie x

Lush Passionate Lipstick; My New Love

Hello,
How is everyone today? Enjoying summer now its here?

Last week I posted about the lovely VIP launch of Emotional Brilliance that I attended at the Lush Bath store. When I was there I was drawn in by the beauty of the Passionate lipstick and simply had to bring it home. I've been wearing it almost every day since then and I think its about time I gave you a proper look :)

Passionate is a very gorgeous, very bright, blue toned pink that has an amazing shine on the lips. It is perfect for pale girls like me as it brightens the face, flattering your English rose tones, and it also makes teeth look whiter (bonus!) If you aren't a fan of a bold lip look then I'd steer clear but oh my goodness, if you love bold lips, you need this in your life! Like nearly all of the Emotional Brilliance range Passionate comes in a funky little glass bottle that holds 5g of product (sounds small but believe me, that will last an incredibly long time).

The lip colour applies very smoothly using the built in doe foot applicator and gives perfect coverage without needing to dip the brush again. The applicator also gives good control making application more precise which is important with such a pigmented colour as I find that it is difficult to remove if you smudge on to the skin around the lips. This is something to be careful about when applying in a rush but otherwise it hasn't given me any trouble. All of the lip colours from the range suggest you can use them as a cheek stain as well however I would advise against that with this shade unless you are a fan of very bright cheeks!

Now, in regards to maintenance of Passionate throughout the day or evening... there is none. I haven't been needing to re-apply at all when wearing this colour out. I wore this to our boozy barbeque on Tuesday and even towards the end of the night it was going strong after too much wine and a couple of burgers. The shine did wear off a little however the bold pink colour remained as the colour is designed to stain as well as colour. Unlike a lot of staining lipsticks I haven't found this drying because of the natural jojoba oil and rose wax in the product, in fact, I've found that once the colour has initially settled on the lips you can barely feel it there at all. No stickiness, no drying, no scratchy glitter so, in my eyes, pretty perfect.

So those are all of the reasons that I have fallen madly in love with this lipstick. To me it is unbeatable for colour and longevity as well as also being vegan friendly, full of natural goodness and in a funky bottle :)
My advice is to keep the rest of your makeup nice and natural when rocking this colour because I think it would be very easy to over do it without realising that your favourite pink blusher and purple eyeshadow are making you look a bit mad when paired with your pink lips.

So what do you think of Passionate? Is it a colour that you'd be brave enough to wear? Have you tried any of the other colours in the range?

You can pick up a bottle from the Lush website for £14.50. I will definitely be picking up more colours!

Annie x
ps, its the last few days to enter my giveaway so get in there quick!

Makeup Mugshot #4

Hello,
Just a quick one today because I'm off out tonight, looking forward to seeing some of my besties :)

I've gone for a pretty simple look. Bronzed glow, cat eyes and red lips.

What I used:

• Ginvera BB cream
• Natural Collection Translucent loose powder
• Miners Bronzer and Blusher mix
• Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer
• Bobbi Brown nude shadow
• Rimmel London Glam Eyes Liquid Liner
• Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara
• Sleek Pout Paint in Pin Up

I thought a bit of loose powder was in need for a long evening of being a social butterfly and a nice long lasting lip colour.

So thats me for today! I'm off out. Have a great Saturday night. What are you up to? What do you use for a nice long lasting fix?

Annie x

Max Factor Flipstick Review

Hello,
A bit of a late post from me today, I've had a lush evening relaxing and eating melon :)
Today is the last of my week of daily product reviews and I've saved one of my favourites until last. Max Factor Flipsticks have been seen everywhere recently and have a fair bit of hype surrounding them and as a bit of a lipstick junkie who likes two toned lips I simply had to pick one up.

The colour that I went for is Gipsy Red which comes with an orange toned red shade at one end and a bright gold shade at the other.
My first impression was that for £8.49 this was a good value purchase as you get two lipsticks for the price. However, after closer inspection, the bullets are both fairly small so I was a little disappointed. On the up side, the colours have an incredibly good pay off so you need very little with each application to create a very bold effect.

Throughout the whole range the colours have been carefully selected so that they complement each other perfectly and I really think there is a flipstick for most peoples tastes.
The one thing that disappointed me about the Gispy Red flipstick is that whilst the red shade is very heavy and pigmented, the gold shade just isn't quite heavy enough to apply over the top and still give a really bright pay off. However, I've also spent some time playing around with the Bloomy Pink flipstick which my mum picked up a while back and with those colours this isn't a problem so I think its just a fault with the formula of the gold shade.
Possibly my favourite thing about flipsticks is that they are so versatile. From each one you can create four different looks (much like MUA's so called unique lip booms only much better quality...but my hatred of MUA is a whole different story) which means you can create a look for every occasion.

Over all, whilst I think they are a little steep in cost, maybe if they even just knocked 50p off the price making them £7.99 then it would seem better value. But in all honesty, for the quality of the product and the versatility I think that flipsticks are a good investment, especially if you want a lipstick for your handbag instead of carrying around several at once.
What do you think? Over priced or a must have? Have you tried the flipstick collection?
Annie x

M.A.C Satin Lipstick in Brave

Hello,
So, the other day I bought possibly the most gorgeous lipstick I have ever owned. I played around with Brave which is one of the satin lipsticks in M.A.C's extensive collection on Thursday and then couldn't get it out of my mind so I just had to go back on Saturday and grab one.

Everyone knows that I am a complete makeup junkie so its no surprise that I adore all products M.A.C and its fair to say that their lipsticks are some of the best around so I was clearly powerless to resist.

The satin finish range appeal to me as I have never been a fan of frosted or shimmer finishes on my lips, I think it looks a little odd on me. The satin finish range has a very slight sheen to it when caught by the light but it has a far more matte look finish without being drying like most completely matte shades you can buy from other brands.
Brave is a fairly neutral pink toned shade. It is just slightly darker pink than my lips so gives a soft and polished look without being too bold. I like to use it when I'm going for brighter eyes so that my lips don't detract from the eye.

The consistency is lovely and creamy and applies very easily and gives great coverage with very little effort. I find the colour is very long lasting, especially when you aren't eating or drinking so for me it's perfect for work where the colour is subtle enough but will stay put during a busy shift.

(sorry for the slightly blurred lips!)
I can easily say that this lipstick was well worth the £13.50 that I paid because it is amazing quality and the colour is so easy to wear meaning it won't just sit in my draw for years unlike some colours I've owned. Long live M.A.C, I swear they just cannot be beaten.
Have you tried any of the M.A.C satin range? What do you think? What is your favourite M.A.C lipstick?
Annie x

A Little Bit of Shopping

Hello,
I feel like I've fallen off the band wagon a little bit in the last couple of days. I'm getting a bit stressed again so I've been trying to cheer myself up. New makeup never fails to cheer me up so it's made a good start.

Now, whilst I enjoyed going a little mad whilst roaming the isles in Boots I am still very aware that I'm meant to be saving money so I tried to stick to the cheaper brands... Except Max Factor but I just HAD to own a Flipstick.
Anyways, what I bought:

• Natural Collection Sheer Loose Powder- £1.99
• Natural Collection Bronzing Pearls- £1.99
• Natural Collection Black/Brown Lash Volume Mascara- £1.99
• Technic Highlights Highlighter- £2.99
• Max Factor Flipstick in Gipsy Red- £8.49
• Max Factor Lipstick in Raisin- £6.99

So over all, not too bad, I spent under £25 and got a nice selection of bits.

I'll write proper reviews on the products as and when I use them. I have a FOTD post lined up for this evening using the Max Factor Raisin lipstick, highlighter and bronzing pearls and so far I've really liked all three so its looking good.

I'm always pleasantly surprised by Natural Collection. I tend not to buy from the range very often because its what I used to wear when I was 14 and first getting into wearing makeup but there's no denying the fact that you can always rely on good quality from them for very little money.

What do you think of my goodies then? I'm most excited by the flipstick, have you tried any of these?

Annie x

My Collection- Lipsticks

Hello,
As a nosey person, I love reading about the make-up that other beauty bloggers have in their collection so I thought it was time to do a series of posts showing you what I have in my beloved kit. First up we have lipsticks. I'm a pretty new when it comes to loving lipsticks. For years I was a big eye make-up girl and only recently have I discovered the fabness of big, bold lips so my collection is pretty small at the moment, and amazingly holds not a single Mac colour! (just wait for the eye shadow post!)

Letes start at the top shall we?

• First we have a Sally Hansen lipstick in Sunburst. This is a very soft and moisturising lipstick that I picked up as part of a set from Poundland so cost me around 33p. I wear this a lot and also have a back up for when I run out. The colour is a light pink that is good with bright eyes.
• Virgin Cosmetics lip pencil in Watermelon. This is my oldest lip colour and I wear it if I want a bright yet matte lip colour. Its a fab bright red shade thats a bit retro. I like to wear this most with a pale foundation for a slight 1920's inspired look.
• MUA shade 6 lipstick. This is new to my collection after reading some really good reviews. For £1 I can't fault it. Another pink shade, quite deep this time that is nice with simple cat eyes for an evening out. I'm not sure yet of the staying power but the colour alone is good enough for me :)
• 17 Bee Hive. This is another shade I picked up after reading good reviews and it is now one of my very favourites. The formula is lovely and slides on just like a lip balm but with the colour pay off of a lipstick. I can wear this for hours without my lips drying out and its a nice subtle shade thats suitable for work.
• Damson is a lip crayon from Chit Chat which is a range made excusively for Poundland. I picked this up simply because I liked the colour and didn't expect much but it is a very pigmented deep pink that makes for a bold lip statement. I wear this with neutral coloured eye make-up so it doesn't look too OTT.
• CoverGirl Tru Shine lipstick in Lilac Shine. I use this colour paired up with a tinted lip gloss most of the time because on its own, the colour is a little too ...lilac... for me on its own. The lipstick is good quality and stays put for quite a while, but I like to warm it up a bit personally with a little redor dark pink.
• Red Devil from the 17 Supreme Shine range is one of my very favourites. It is a gorgeous deep red that looks stunning with black, smokey eyes for an evening out. It's a little too much for me during the day but I get pretty excited to wear it for going out :) The colour lasts well, doesn't run, and doesn't fade too much even after eating and drinking. Bonus!
• Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon. I grabbed this in shade No 2 when I found it in Topshop on Oxford Street. When swatched this comes out a totally amazing shade of deep pink that is full of glitter pieces. On my lips on its own its a little too pink but when applied over a red lipstick it looks amazing and the glitter gives it an extra dimension. I am rather disappointed it looks better on my hand than on my lips though.
• MUA shade 8. This is my darkest lipstick and another glittery offering. I think really this should be another evening colour but as it isn't an overly bright shade of red I think I can just about carry it off during the day. This is another one to wear with pale foundation and cat winged eyeliner for a dainty vintage look. J'adore!
• Finally, I have this Stila lip colour in Sarah. This is fairly similar in colour to Bee Hive but is more matte so it looks pretty when worn alone or under a shimmery gloss. This colour is great for barely there make-up days or for pairing with statement eyes.

So there's my lipstick stash. Ironically, my very favourite lipstick isn't actually photographed because I've been wearing it today so its in my handbag. Oh well, you get the picture :)

Have you got any of these lipsticks in your collection? Which would you be most likely to wear? What would you like to see in my next collection post?

Annie x

Back to the Beauty!

Hello,
After my rather distressed post earlier I wanted to get things on here back to being more positive. Yes I may be having a bit of a personal crisis, but the blog is my happy space. So, to get things back on track, here is my latest (an probably last) haul before the spending ban kicks off. I am so happy with this collection.
I popped into Poundland to look for a storage solution for my beauty bottles and got way over excited when I saw that they had lots of Sally Hansen goody bags each containing 3 products for just £1 each! Imanaged to grab lots of lovely bits and pieces and paid just £5 over all, including my new storage box :)

First up, these are the two Sally Hansen goody bags I bought. Aren't they great for £1 each?

In the first one I got a natural beauty lipstick in Sunburst, a natural butter lip shine in Lush and a 13.3ml liqueur shine for nails polish in Beaming. The lipstick is a beautiful colour, its a real my lips but better shade and I can see this replacing my make up store lipstick as my daily shade. The lip shine glides on like a dream. I was slightly disappointed that it has a brush applicator rather than a doe foot but the brush is good quality and applies the butter well. The shade is really ligt and pretty and perfect for a casual, nude look. I'm also really happy with the nail varnish. The first coat applied a little thin but with a second it wascompletely opaque. The colour itself is a beautiful bright red that I think I will probably weara lot onmy toes during the summer.

In the second bag I got another natural beauty lipstick in the same shade (sunburst) because I didn't notice the shades when I picked the bags up but I don't mind because its such a lovely colour. I also got a lacquer shine for lips in Jasmine. I thought this would come out fairly light as a gloss but it is actually a really deep pink, highly pigmented colour. Again it has a brush instead of a doe applicator, but this also applies well, although as its a fairly dark colour you need to be careful when you apply. Finally, I got a lovely natural beauty cream blusher in Sunset. I've never really used cream blushers so I'm excited to try this. When I swatched it on my hand the colour was very pretty and applied smoothly. It also blended in quickly and effortlessly in to a pretty pink shade.

I also grabbed two bags with just one item in.

I was fairly excited by this diamond strength varnish in baguette beige that was in the first individual bag I picked up. In the bottle the shade is light and creamy and I was hopeful that it would apply fairly well, however I was a little disappointed. The colour is indeed lovely but it is very watery and thin so takes a few layers to get much opacity. It also took quite a while to try so I managed to smudge it all over the place. I do think it would look pretty as a base coat under a lightly coloured glitter polish.

In my fourth and final bag I got a Rimmel London loose powder eye shadow in Smokey. I bought this one because I loved the light silver shade and was intrigued by what would be provided to apply the shadow. As it turns out, you are given a nice sturdy foam applicator. I usually dont like these, but the shape and size of this one make it easy to apply the shadow and create a smokey look. I can't comment on the staying power of this yet as I haven't worn it properly but it stayed well on my hand.

So here's a photo of all my new little beauty bits. And all for just £4. This is the reason I love Poundland : )

And lets not forget the storage box! Doesn't it look cute with all my face and brush cleaning products tucked away inside?

Have you seen these Sally Hansen bags in Poundland? What do you think of my new pieces?
I hope this post makes up for my moany one earlier and everyone is back in a happy mood.
Annie x

Well Known Brand Cosmetics in Poundland?

Hello,
I quickly nipped into Poundland the other day because I needed some tissues and couldn't help but take a look at what cosmetics they had to offer after reading somewhere that they often do little packs with a well known brand cosmetic product in each and was pretty excited to find products from Revlon, Maybolene, Collection 2000 and Miss Sporty among others. I know these aren't high end products, but when you're only paying a pound, even collection 2000 is worth a look. I've also seen these bags in TK Maxx before with a higher price tag but many of those boast slightly higher end brands.
I ended up coming away with three of these "famous brands" bags. Heres what I decided upon.

I got a Covergirl Tru Shine lipstick (discontinued) in Lilac Shine, a Chit Chat juicy lipstick which didn't have a colour name, and two Miss Sporty quick dry sheer tints, one in orange and one in red. And all for just £3!

The nail varnishes are both fairly pretty colours, but very sheer as they say. I'm not 100% sure why people would want such a wishy washy colour other than for a top coat personally, but there you go. In the swatches above I used three coats to get that level of opacity. I'm pretty happy with the orange, but not the red so that one will be going in the "to go" pile. The orange, however, I will keep to use as a topcoat because a lot of my nail varnishes have no sparkle to then, so a coat of this on top will add a little shine if not a lot of colour.

Next we have the Covergirl Tru Shine lipstick in Lilac Shine. I must say that I have been very happy with this lipstick. It is a lovely soft shade that has lilac tones but appears more pink on lips. The lipstick glides on smoothly and gives a good level of colour that looks pretty on its own but would also look nice paired with a slightly tinted gloss.
The staying power of this is also fairly good. You would need to re-apply several times during the day, but I got a good three hours out of it before needing to do so.

As you can see from the photo, it looks nice and subtle on lips and would be perfect for pairing with statement eyes or for a soft, day to day look.

Finally, we have the Chit Chat Juicy Lipstick.

Sorry for the slightly blurred photo, my camera didn't feel like focusing properly. As you can see, this is a wonderfully pigmented dark pink shade. When I saw it, I knew I would love it. The packaging is also rather well designed I think. The lipstick is shaped like a think pencil (similar to the Virgin Cosmetics lip crayons that I used to love, before they got discontinued) however, instead of needing sharpening to get to more product, you simply twist the bottom of the pencil which I like. You can also retract the excess if you want to. The only downside would have to be the lid of this product. I find that it falls off fairly easily so it isn't one to keep loose in your handbag!

I think this is more of an evening colour personally, it is lovely and bright on the lips and would look lovely paired with thick cat eye liner for a 50's style look. I did find this product a little drying after a while so it is a good idea to apply a good lip balm before application (I always use The Body Shop Chocomania lip balm, reviewed here). The staying power of this lipstick is pretty good, it did wear off after a few hours but because of the bright shade, I find that you are left with a subtle pink tint to the lips. I'm really impressed by this colour, especially since it is made exclusively for Poundland.

If you want to pick up any of these products you can here:

Miss Sporty Sheer tints: Discontinued but can be found on Ebay here
Covergirl Tru Shine lipstick: Discontinued but the whole range can be found on Ebay here
Chit Chat Juicy Lipstick: Exclusive to Poundland stores

Have you ever bought any of these bags? What did you get? Would you ever consider trying out Chit Chat cosmetics from Poundland?

Annie x

Boots 17 Make-up Haul Reviews

Hello,
As you will already know if you read this post here, last weekend I went on a bit of a shopping spree...seems to be quite a regular occurrence, and I took advantage of the boots 17 range 3 for 2 offer and picked up these three goodies.

I got one of the limited edition spring florals eye palettes, a blush and glow two tone blusher and a supreme shine lipstick. I've now been using them all week and I have to say that I love all three, and they're excellent quality for so little money.

First lets take a look at the blusher:

As you can see, in the pot, this blusher is two different separate shades. I guess this is so you can achieve two different colours if you like, but I have to say, personally, I think the pot is too small to do that effectively so I just use the two together by sweeping my big blusher brush around a bit.
The colour that the blusher gives is a light, pinky tone that looks really fresh and just adds a touch of colour to cheeks. This is perfect for me because I have such pale skin, but the colour would easily be buildable by just using more of the product.

The swatch on my hand actually looks fairly dark bu thats because I used my finger to apply it, with a brush the tone is a lot more subtle but still holds the same peachy pink tone and a slight shine. I would definitely re-purchase this blusher and might try other shades in the same product.

Now the eye palette:

With this product, I was first drawn in by the beautiful design. The different colours look wonderful together and the effect definitely looks more high end than the price that I paid for it.
The gold, pink and purple eye shadows are all lovely, light colours that work well together and blend into each other well on the eye. Indeed, if you use the right sized brush, it is possible to pick up and use two different colours at once and use the gold as a highlighter and the pink or purple on the actual lid.
The bronze shadow I haven't used yet because it swatches quite dark and I've been feeling in a light, springy mood, but personally, I think Imight try applying it with a large brush as a bronzer on my cheeks as it is a nice shade that would look pretty that way.

As you can see from the swatches, the gold, pink and purple are all light, pastel tones, which are great for every day use. The bronze is a lot darker and more pigmented so should be used with a little more caution! I have been really impressed with the staying power of these shadows. Even after a 9 hour shift at work they looked just as bright as when I applied them, and they did not do that annoying thing where they work their way into a dark line along the crease of the eyelid so I was very happy. I would really recommend this palette, but be quick to buy as it's limited edition!

Finally for the lipstick:

I have been looking for a red lipstick for some time now and when I saw this colour I just had to give it a go. The name isn't very imaginative, something like "hot berry" or "hot red" if I remember rightly but as soon asI saw the colour of the bullet I knew I needed it. In the swatch it looks slightly pink toned but on my lips it is perfectly red. The staying power is very good too, although if you were wearing it for a night out you would need to re-apply once or twice I think. I really like the feel of this lipstick. Unlike some, it doesn't dry out my lips, and after a little while, you can hardly feel that there is any lipstick there. Another great product from 17 that I would buy again.

So those are my three new loves from 17. In the photo above I'm wearing all three, but the bright lips definitely take center stage!

What do you think? Do you own any of these products? Are there any other great 17 cosmetics that I should try?

Annie x