; une tasse: a beauty and casual fashion blog: May 2010

NOTD: Nails Inc in London


This is the colour I picked from the Nails Inc and Diet Coke promotion running at Boots and I really don't think I can pull it off. I only chose this shade as I own nothing like it and I've already got too many pinks and red as it is. It's being promoted as a nude but to me it's mushroomy and sometimes I think it looks like a muddy lilac - I'm crap at describing colours, sorry!


Yay or Nay? I'm veering towards nay.....

p.s  I only applied one shoddy coat as I'm holding out for Barry M's Berry Ice Cream but it's sold out everywhere!

Topshop's new makeup line

If I'm honest, when I first heard that Topshop were planning to release their own range of makeup, I was very wary. I didn't think a clothing store (even one as big as Topshop) could pull it off and was expecting it to be crap. Even when I saw the promos I wasn't bowled over, I mean sure the packaging is cute but that does not make for a great product alone. It wasn't until I saw Vex in the City's post, complete with swatches that I got excited. Specifically over the cream blushers.

So on Wednesday (the day of release), I made my way to Oxford Circus in hopes of snagging a blusher and hoped it wouldn't be mayem. The makeup section at the front of the store was hard to manouver around as it was so small but I managed to elbow my way through.


If I had the money, I could have easily bought 4 blushers, but after some swatching, I decided to get Neon Rose.


The colour in the pan is a vibrant coral but as you can see in the photo above, when applied it comes up a lovely pink. And for those of you interested, the ingredients below:


The only cream blusher I have to compare it to, is Mac's blushcreme in "Posey" which is quite thick and has to be applied with a stippling brush for best results. Neon Rose in comparison is very light weight and can be applied using fingers, where it blends to an almost powder like touch. It doesn't feel heavy or tacky as most other cream blushers do. In terms of staying power, they're on par with other drug store blushers but it doesn't take long to reapply (and the mirror is great for that).

The cream blushers are a reasonable £6 whereas Mac blushcremes are £16.50 each. I know Revlon have a range of cream blushers but I've never seen them instore, so if you are looking for an affordable range of cream blushers in an array of great colours, you can't go wrong with Topshop.

With regard to other products in the range, I really liked their lip polishes and the on trend nail polishes. I will definitely be back for more come payday!

Products and their use by dates

I know that beauty and make up products all have a use by date as I've read many useful blog and magazine articles on the subject. However I can never remember exactly how long different things last for. 
Today I was casually flicking through a copy of Good Housekeeping (wasn't mine, honest!) and came across this statistic:
"Nine out of Ten women have no idea that they only need to look at the symbol on the product that looks like an open pot. This will tell you how long your make-up, moisturiser or lotion will last once it's been open"



I've noticed these symbols before but it never clicked in my head.  Please tell me I'm not a total noob and I'm not the only one who was oblivious...?

"Pictorial" - Vogue Italia 2005


I don't know what I love more about this photoshoot - the pre Raphaelite hair or Gustav Klimt references. It makes me want go shopping for powerful prints and embellished jewellery (and I am a neutral girl through and through).