Christmas: Beauty Gift Guide 2013

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I thought, as I have almost finished my shopping (smug!), that I would help out everyone else by running a series of gift guide posts here on the blog.

Today's theme is beauty. There is much more choice these days for cute little beauty gifts. When I was a teenager the choice was a Lancome or Estee Lauder gift set, which wasn't the most exciting. Now there are all sorts of beauty-related goodies to choose from. The majority of the above are from ASOS, Feel Unique and Beauty Bay so if none of them take your fancy, have a browse of the gift sections and you're sure to find the perfect option for your beauty-obsessed loved one!

Katie xx

Make-up: Ciate Mini Mani Advent Calendar

Just a quick post today to tell you about this gorgeous Christmas offering from Ciate. This is the second year that the brand have done this as far as I know.

What a perfect early Christmas present for nail polish lovers (or for yourself!). Get yours before the 1st December to get the proper advent experience.

Photo from Selfridges.com

Have you got your advent calendar yet?

Katie xx

PS: Keep an eye out for my Christmas gift guide series starting soon...

Favourites: August 2013

I changed things up a bit in the last few months due to the 'unseasonal' Summer weather we had here in the UK! Here's what I have been using in August...

Skin 79 Super+ BB Cream

This is my third bottle of this original Korean BB cream. I found it on eBay after seeing it in one of Miss Glamouratzi's videos. I know that Ingrid has combination skin like myself so thought this would be a good option that wouldn't leave me with a face like an oil slick by lunchtime.

The formula is thick, creamy and fairly grey in tone, though it does alter to match the colour of your skin when blended. Having said that, I have very pale skin so I don't think this would work for anyone darker than an NC/NW25 in MAC foundations.

The coverage is medium but buildable and I have found that it does let some shine through towards the end of the day, even after powdering. I think this has also helped to fade some of my previous blemish scars as many Asian skincare and make-up products are whitening.

If you are on the paler side and want to try an original Korean BB cream if highly recommend this.

Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Pinched & Flushed

I bought these two beauties about 6 months ago but always struggled to use them without the cream taking all of the foundation off my cheeks on blending. Then I tried applying them before powder but after the BB cream above and I love the result.

I often don't use powder on my cheeks when wearing one of these to let the dewiness of the blush shine through. It provides a nice contrast to the rest of my skin, which I like to keep quite matte.

These are a great affordable way to test the water with cream blusher and perfect for the warmer weather. I have since purchased a lovely MAC cream blusher, which I'll review when I've had a bit more of a play.

Maybelline EyeStudio Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze

This is a fairly recent purchase and one I have been loving for a quick smokey eye. Paired with a waterproof/long-lasting black pencil liner it gives a dramatic and long-wearing look.

I apply this with my ring finger all over the lid up to the crease and then blend the edges into the crease with a MAC 217 or similar fluffy brush. It lasts all day without creasing and I can't fault it.

I now want to try the Permanent Taupe colour as I think this would be great for an easy defined crease eye look.

What were you loving in July?

Katie xx

Haul: Boots August 2013

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Effects in Papaya

This is the second of these gel-style polishes from Barry M that I have picked up. I rushed out to buy Lychee when they first came out like everyone else but, whilst I was having a browse the other day, I noticed they had a few new colours.

Papaya seemed like a quite unique muted orange. Previously I’ve steered away from all things orange-toned as I worry they will clash with my hair but I really like this colour. A bit different to the traditional coral, I can’t wait to try this one out on my nails.I have heard that the darker colours in this line stain the nails so I’ll make sure I used a good base coat.

Barry M Sequin Nail Effects in White

This was a complete impulse purchase but I couldn’t leave it on the stand. I have been eyeing up a really similar version from Revlon for ages and this was at least half the price. I’m not sure how this will translate on the nails as, quite often, you need to slap on a good few coats to get a decent amount of the glitter to transfer.

I quite like the idea of this toning down some of the brighter colours I have with its milky, white base. It might be one of my last forays into glitter polish due to my advancing age. Can a 30 year old still wear glitter nail polish??

Rimmel Scandaleyes Thick & Thin Eyeliner

I couldn’t resist trying this one as soon as I got it. I’ve been wearing a slick of black eyeliner with a flick almost every day for the last 12 or so years and I’m a big fan of these pen-style liners.

I love the really fine nib as it makes getting a precise flick so much easier. I wasn’t however too impressed with the colour pay-off of this. It’s not as black or opaque as many others I’ve tried but the staying power is good. It claims to be waterproof, which I haven’t tested but it definitely passes the inner corner smudge test, which may other pen liners don’t.

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Red Sunrise

After seeing these new lip crayons on Lily’s blog I immediately added them to my list. Originally I was planning to get Peach on the Beach but when I saw Red Sunrise I couldn’t resist it.

This is different from the other lip crayons I’ve tried in that the colour you get when you first apply it is really close to the colour you’re left with after a few hours. I wouldn’t call them stains but they do leave a nice, subtle colour behind if you’re lazy like me and only remember to apply lip colour in the morning.

This is the perfect lazy red colour. It gives great colour pay-off but you don’t need to be too precise with your application (sorry lip pencil!) I find this perfect for work.

Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Polish in Tourquoise

This was a slightly older purchase but I thought I’d add it in here anyway. I have barely had this off my nails since I bought it and LOVE the colour!

The application is the best of any nail polish I have ever tried. The brush is wide enough to coat the whole nail (apart from the thumb) and you can get away with just one coat, although I often do two just for staying power. This coupled with my Seche Vite top coat are a dream combination and have definitely been my Summer nails of choice this year.

Have you tried any of these beauties?

Katie xx

Review: MAC Cream Blush in Ladyblush

 

This lovely cream blush featured in my recent MAC & Primark Haul post and wasn’t really a planned purchase.

I recently fell in love with cream blusher after buying the Revlon Photoready cream blushers ages ago and finally finding a way to wear them.

MAC Ladyblush is a pigmented, peachy-orange cream blusher that applies with a slight sheen but no shimmer, which is just what I was looking for.

I wanted something slightly darker than a coral or a true peach and this is the perfect shade and will see me through to Autumn.

I apply this after foundation and concealer but before powder and, more often than not, don’t powder over it to keep the radiant sheen show through and make me look younger more awake than I am.

Although there isn't a massive shade range in the Cream Blend blushers, I think MAC have got this one just right. You can pick this up anywhere that sells MAC products and it is £18.00 or £15.00 in the pan.

Have you tried this blusher?

Katie xx

Haul: MAC & Primark

After finishing work a wee bit early on Friday afternoon (thanks boss!) I had time for a browse around Primark. I wasn't expecting to find any clothes and I was right! I did however find some nice jewellery bits.

Spike & gem necklace £4.00

Dove & Leaf Bracelet (part of a set of 3) £2.00, Leaf & Stone Bracelet (part of a set of 3) £1.50, White cord & bead bracelet (part of a set of 3) £1.50

I also had a Selfridge's voucher burning a hole in my purse and, in addition to a new MAC 15 eyeshadow palette and insert to replace my old and well-loved one, I picked up a new cream blusher in the form of Ladyblush. Full review to follow shortly.

Mac Creamblend Blush in Ladyblush £18.00

Have you found any jewellery/accessories gems in Primark recently? Have you tried MAC Ladyblush?

Katie xx

Review: Le Volume de Chanel

I haven't seen much chat about this mascara on other blogs and I am absolutely loving it!


As you can see from the image above, I originally had a sample of this courtesy of my generous sister in law. I wasn't expecting to like this at first as it comes out very wet. Usually I like to leave mascaras open for a week or so after I've bought them to let them dry out to the perfect consistency (naughty!). However this quickly became the only mascara I was using and prompted me to buy the full size.

Now it's not the most purse-friendly product but I can't fault the formula for giving amazing volume in just one coat, more dramatic if you add two. The brush also has a small point on the end to help separate lashes, particularly at the outer corners of the eyes.

You can see the effect on the photo above (if you can get past the under eye wrinkles aagghh!). I do have quite long eyelashes but a lot of mascaras can make them look really sparse for some reason. This however is perfect. Ideal for getting ready before work when you don't have time to apply coat after coat to get the look you want. And of course the packaging is classic Chanel, chic, black and simplistic.

The cheapest I have found this online is through Debenhams, who currently have it in offer for £24.00 with free delivery.

Have you tried this mascara? What do you think?

Katie xx

Make-up: Goodbye sunshine...hello lipstick!

Now call me a summer kill joy but I was secretly pleased the temperature dropped today so I could enjoy the glorious combination of Revlon's Cherries In The Snow and Barry M's number 3 lip pencil.

I just can't deal with full lipstick in hot weather. I don't know if it's the increased liquid intake (ie. G&T!) or the threat of the dreaded sweaty upper lip but it just feels like too high maintenance...and that's coming from me!





This photo (taken with rubbish iPhone camera) really doesn't do the lipstick justice. It is the perfect cherry red as the name suggests. Much easier to wear than a true red like Mac's Russian Red, especially if you have a typical English rose complexion or you're a redhead like me...insert gratuitous lipstick wearing photo





Have you found your perfect red?Which make up item(s) do you skip in hot weather?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Make Up: New Storage!

So since I started watching make up videos on You Tube my make up collection has grown about three fold and was starting to take over my bedroom and my lounge (where I do my face!).

The other day whilst taking a short cut through Clas Ohlson, which is like a mini B&Q or Home Depot, I spotted a little storage If you don't have store near you, you can buy it here.

There are 25 small drawers, two medium and one large at the bottom. The unit is perfect for make up as the depth is quite deep so you can fit pencils etc. in all of the drawers lengthways (if that makes sense).

So far I have eye shadows in the top 10 drawers, mascaras, eyeliners, liquid eyeliners, paint pots and pigments in the third set of 5, concealers, primers and highlights in the third set of 5 and lip glosses, lipsticks and lip liners in the last set of 5.

I then have blush, contour and eyebrow products in the left-hand medium drawer and face products (foundations, setting powders) in the right-hand medium drawer.

The bottom drawer has some of the palettes I use the most and some Mac brush cleanser in a little spray bottle.

This only cost about £15...bargain in my book especially since the Muji sotorage (example below...now empty) is so expensive. It looks so pretty though aahhh...

What are your storage tips?

BB x