Crosswires

Heavily swatched and slightly out of focus, sorry!

Today I received my blog sale buy MAC Crosswires in the post (thank you Sabina) and it promptly went on my lips. If you didn't already know, coral is my favourite colour and this may be my new favourite one? It's a bit similar to Vegas Volt which I also love but this has more pink in it. The cremesheen formula means it's much more wearable than Vegas Volt which is amplified and shows every bit of dry lip. It's also a subtle wash of colour that can be built up to your preference which I really like as sometimes I don't like wearing a strong lip colour but still want a hint of something.



Can't really say anything about how long it lasts as I've only worn it for these photos but I don't think it's very long. That said I wouldn't mind reapplying this, I really love the cremesheen formula.

I've bought a lot of new lipsticks over the past few months so expect more posts like this soon xx

My wedding makeup

Base: Olay UV Fluid with SPF15, MAC Face & Body foundation in C4, MAC Select Moisturecover concealer in NC42 & Keromask Mineral Finishing Powder.

Blush: Nars Orgasm & Torrid

Eyes: MAC Mulch eyeshadow, Blacktrack fluidline, MUFE Smoky lash mascara and MAC #10 lashes applied with Duo lash glue.

Lips: Carmex and MAC Creme in your coffee lipstick.

Brushes: MAC 209 for eyeliner, ELF angled contour brush (not pictured) for eyeshadow, ELF stipple brush for foundation (not pictured), Gotta B Urban bronzer brush used for blush & ELF powder brush for powder



L-R: Nars Orgasm, Nars Torrid, MAC Mulch & MAC Creme in your coffee.

I was supposed to have my own little makeup trials with different looks but that soooo didn't happen and on the day I played it by ear and just ended up using some of my favourite products. MUFE Smoky lash mascara is the best I've ever tried!! I bought this one brand new in a blog sale last year but was saving it for special occasions. If it wasn't so expensive to buy in the UK I would repurchase over and over again. I was also really pleased with MAC face & body, it was so lightweight it felt like I wasn't wearing any foundation at all. I also cannot stop fawning over Nar's Torrid, it's a beautiful coral which everyone must buy!

So to sum up, my make up was not perfect at all nor was it upto a professional standard but I felt comfortable and it worked for me :)

Eid shopping

Eid Mubarak to those who were celebrating yesterday. It was my first Eid with my husband, away from my family and it felt really strange. However I met up with my sister yesterday afternoon for a wee shopping trip in Westfield. It was rammed as always so we only hit H&M, Boots & MAC.

Primark PJ's FTW!

I was spurred on by Laiqah's post and finally bought Impassioned. It's very bright so think I'll only whip this out on special occasions for now, but hopefully will get lots of wear during summer. As you can tell I also treated myself to a long awaited haircut. No longer do I feel bedraggled and boring, but light headed and like my hair is healthy again :)



As usual I loved nearly everything in H&M but I only walked away with these really comfy winter boots. They're not real leather but they're very sturdy and the insoles are sooooo soft. Can't see them online but they're £29.99. I only bought a pair of boots two months ago but I managed to ruin them. I got caught in the biggest rainstorm ever where the streets/pavement flooded and I unavoidably stepped in a puddle that reached mid shin. The boots took 4 days to fully dry out but they now stink to high heaven of dirty rain/drain water. I only managed to wear them twice, gutted!! Fingers crossed this pair lasts.

Anyhoo I'm now on my way back to my cold and internet-less flat (damn you Sky and your long activation date). Catch you soon! xx

Russian Red

I'm at my parent's house right now and hallelujah internet connection. I've missed blogging so much but the engineer is coming this Friday to set my broadband up and I hope to be back ASAP. I've bought so many new makeup bits the past few months but my most favourite item is MAC's Russian Red lipstick.



Excuse my sullen face but I am so TIRED and boy does it show. It's just the most perfect vivid red lipstick and it makes me feel quite grown up. I don't really like matte formulations but this lipstick is creamy and it stays for ageeeeeeeees. I've been wearing it as much as possible, even incorporating it into my Halloween outfit! Any other gorgeous red lipsticks out there that you can reccommend?

MAC Teddy Kohl swatches

So as promised, here is a swatch of MAC's Teddy eye pencil which I used to create the simple smokey eye I posted last month. A lovely dark bronze with golden shimmer running through it. It's really soft and blends easily but as a kohl pencil it will smudge and it will crease/fade. I keep this in my bag and use it to transform my basic everyday work makeup (black eyeliner & mascara) into something a bit more sparkly. I'd love to find something like this colour in a long lasting or waterproof eye pencil.

FOTD: A 3 minute smokey eye

Popped into Selfridges after work today to have a mooch around MAC. Whilst I was queuing for assistance, I watched a lady spend 10 minutes applying as many things as she could get her hands on. Including the tester lip gloss, straight from the wand to her lips. So GROSS! How many people have also used it before her?!

I didn't walk away with a lipstick for once but bought Teddy kohl pencil, a gorgeous dark bronzey brown with gold shimmer. Flash washes the colour out so I'll put up a swatch another day.

I was meeting the Mr for dinner and only had mascara on so I used this to create a quick smokey eye. I applied Teddy all over the lid and blended, then smudged a black eyeliner along the lash line and outer corner. Finished off with Teddy on the lower lash line and black eyeliner on my waterline. Didn't use any brushes at all, just my ring finger. Quick and really easy! By the time I got home, it had creased and faded a little but I didn't mind so much :)

EOTD: Coppery Goodness

A boring Friday night in and I got fed up of watching CSI repeats so might as well do a blog post featuring my gormless face and chapped lips (it was either this or the moody cow photo). This is a look I did the other day after watching this Pixiwoo video.






I used the metallic copper and metallic brown shadow in my Sleek Storm palette, MAC blacktrack fluidline on the waterline and tightlined, Revlon Grow Luscious mascara and the much needed MAC select moisturecover concealer in NC42.

Hope your Friday night is faring better than mine xx

MAC Mehr lipstick

I try my best to steer clear of Temptalia because I always give into temptation. When I saw the lipstick swatches from the Mickey Contractor collection, I fell for Mehr big time.

It sold out very quickly online and I went to three different MAC stores before I found it. Even then, it was by chance as the sales assistant happened to find one lurking in the backroom.

It is a neutral shade of pink which I find very flattering and easy to wear. It probably would suit all skin tones. It's creamy and easy to apply but I wish it wasn't matte as it shows every dry patch/flaw. Lots of carmex is needed because I need all the help I can get when it comes to chapped lips - see photo below :(

Did you get anything from the Mickey Contractor collection? If I had the money, I probably would have bought all the lippies!

Mac Plumful lipstick

Hallelujah! An internet connection at last, so I can finally post about my first Mac lipstick.

It's also the very first lip colour I can wear without thinking, "Does this look okay? Can I pull it off?". As the name would suggest it's a plum but with pink tones so I find it more wearable.

The lustre finish means it goes on sheer, which I prefer as I can build up the colour. This also means it doesn't last very long but I don't mind this because I love reapplying due to it's yummy scent. It also makes me feel lady like (ha).

It's heavily swatched in my previous photo so you can get a better idea of the colour. However because my lips are very pigmented, it shows up darker on me. If I really wanted to, I could blank out my lips with concealer beforehand but it's too much effort!

I'm still new to the world of lipstick so don't think I will be buying another Mac one too soon. For now I'm going to stick with this but look forward to the day I feel confident enough to rock a deep red. I'm looking at you Russian Red.

Things I've been loving this week (in photos)

1. Barry M's instant nail effects polish.
2. Big clumpy boots for winter.
3. Mac's Plumful lipstick.
4. Eldora lashes.
5. Black XS - my new favourite perfume.
6. Fuggs as house "slippers". My feet have never been so toasty!

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer (NC42)

This is most probably the last post about Mac products for quite a while as my makeup funds are running low after my last haul. I wasn't even aware of the Pro Longwear collection until I was instore and decided that I obviously needed to buy this as concealer is my life (not really but you know...)



I was also tempted by its sleek good looks and pump dispenser which looks very "pro". In reality it's not that great as I always end up pumping out more product that I need. However it really does last for ages so that more than makes up for it. As much as I love my Select Moisture cover, I find it wears away easily, especially since I tend to rub my eyes a lot.



On the left is Pro Longwear with Select Moisturecover to the right. Both are in NC42 but Pro Longwear is lighter for some strange reason. However when blended (in the photo below) it's still a perfect match.



So how does it really compare with Select Moisturecover? SMC is really smooth and creamy whilst this is more of a liquid consistency that sets with a matte finish. I usually apply concealer with my ring finger but because this sets so quickly I definitely need a brush because it's hard to blend into the thin skin under my eyes.

I don't think it's amazing but it works well. Would I buy it again? Maybe....

Did you buy anything from the Pro Longwear collection?

Mac Fabulous Felines: Utterly Game Mineralize Blush

I don't really get carried away with new Mac collections but after seeing this on Temptalia it had to be mine. It's a beautiful peach/coral colour and I think my photos speak for themselves. I can't see myself tiring of this anytime soon.

 

Recent makeup buys

Because of RamadanI haven't spent money on food this month so I've had a splurge on makeup. Haven't had time to make dedicated posts yet but here's a lil glimpse of what my upcoming posts will be on.

My everyday essentials

I enjoy reading posts like these so thought I would do one of my own.

1. I apply my concealer first and I use Select Moisturecover in NC42 which does a brilliant job at covering my dark circles. So far, this is the best concealer I've tried as its easy to blend in and doesn't cake or settle in my fine lines.

2. Using my ELF Complexion brush, I apply MSFN in Medium Dark over my concealer and on my eyelids.

3. The 209 eyeliner brush is amazing and helps to create a fine line - I have the small SE version. I use this with Blacktrack Fluidline because it does not budge or fade at all.


4. I then line my waterline with Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero which sadly isn't 100% waterproof with my watery eyes but is super black (unlike Gosh's Velvet touch pencils). Next comes mascara of which I'm currently using Maybelline's Colossal.

5. Lastly, I use my favourite brush ever, ELF's powder one to apply my blush  and I usually turn to Coral by Sleek.

These are the very basics which I use everyday without fail, although the blush and mascara are interchangeable. If you've done a post like this (or are planning to), leave me a link so I can have a nosey :)

P.S. I wrote down the entrants for my Naked Coco de Mer bathfoam giveaway on pieces of paper and my little brother picked out Becky from Style and The City. Congrats! xx

Monthly Favourites: July 2010

 I know we are halfway through August but better late than never!

1. Aussie Dual Personality Heat Protection and Leave in Spray - Rolling over from last month, I am still loving this product, especially as my hair is really dry and damaged at the moment. I often spritz this onto my hair when I feel that it could do with a bit of moisture and it does a great job without feeling sticky or greasy.

2. Cutex Moisture Guard Nail polish Remover - Nothing outstanding but it does what it says and does it really well. The big plus is that it doesn't have a strong chemical smell, so I can use this with ease without the fear of passing out from fumes (as is the case with most other removers).

3. Vaseline Sheer Infusion Mineral Renewal Body Lotion - Bought this on offer and it isn't like anything I've used before. It has an almost gel like consistency but is really moisturising (without feeling sticky) and smells so good. It also claims to contain "enriching minerals like those found in healthy skin" but to be honest I don't really know much about that...

4. Coconut Oil - I've already done an entire post on this but also wanted to add it here as I've been using it every day! My ends are really dry despite using an intensive conditioner, so I try to lock in moisture and keep them in good condition by rubbing in a pea sized amount.

5&6. Mac Mineralize Blushes in Warm Soul and Dainty - I'm not really wearing any makeup at the moment but can't get enough of blushes. These are great in summer as the shimmer really reflects in the sunshine (when it decides to make an appearance).

Mac Mineralize blush in Dainty

The only items of makeup I seem to buy these days are blushes. I can't get enough of them and this is my most recent purchase.

Mac mineralize blush in Dainty.

When I first got it I couldn't stop cooing (like a loser) over how pretty it is.

A light pink with sheer golden shimmer (which doesn't show up here does it?). It's very sheer and the colour has to be built up but I think it's a great colour for summer. I  like wearing it to work with simple winged black eyeliner and mascara.

Are there any other Mineralize blushes you would recommend? (I already have Warm Soul). What's your favourite blush at the moment?

MAC Ripe Peach Blush Ombre

I have never bought anything from any of the collections that MAC release throughout the year because I know I don't need any of it. However after seeing the swatches of the new Spring Colour Forecast collection on Temptalia, some kind of madness came over me and I became besotted with the blush ombres - especially Ripe Peach.

I love the gradient!

From L=R: the coral, the peach and swirled together.

The colour is from the Coral line and it is a peach with a pink/peach coral. It also has a very subtle gold shimmer which doesn't pick up in my natural light photos but can be seen above with flash. The colours swirled together produce a beautiful coral which was unfortunately washed out by my flash. For much better swatches, see Temptalia.

I was slightly disappointed by the pigmentation of Ripe Peach because I found it to be a little bit chalky (probably as the main ingredient is talc; see a complete list here) . I also found that it needs several applications to build the colour up. I wore this to work yesterday and by lunchtime it hasd disappeared so it does need to be reapplied throughout the day. Despite this, I still love it because the colour is gorgeous!

Next on my wish list is the Azalea Blossom blush ombre....

Latest MAC Haul

L-R: Mineralize blusher in Warm Soul, Mineralize eyeshadow in Techtonic, Sheertone shimmer blush in Dollymix and Eye kohl pencil in Smoulder.

The few bits and pieces that I've picked up over the past few weeks from online sales and instore.

The mineralize eyeshadow was a freebie with my Ben Nye palette and whilst it's not something I would  have bought myself, I think it's a nice colour. However I don't really know what to pair gold eyeshadow with other than black? Smoulder was a consolation purchase as Feline from the Style Black collection was sold out. It's very very dark, even more so than UD's Zero but it smudges like a mother on my waterline...!

Warm Soul is on the left and I absolutely love it! Apparently it is a mid tone beige with golden pearl but I think it's darker than beige, almost like a bronzer on me. I don't have anything like this as I'm so used to buying pink blushers but I've been rocking this one everyday. Dollymix, on the right, is a lovely bright pink with shimmer running through it.

I have become addicted to blushers, especially MAC ones and I've already started to eye the other mineralize ones.  Harry in particular loves Dollymix! hehe

EOTD: Smokey peacock green

In my case, EOTD stands for "Experiment of the day" as I feel I'm far too much of an amateur. I'm still getting to grips with blending and I'm not always sure if I've done well.

What I used:

- Mac mineralize eyeshadow in "Tectonic" (greeny gold colour) all over the lid.
- Ben Nye "Jade" on inner corner and "Cosmic Blue" on the outer V and crease.
- One of the black shadows in the crease and outer V from Sleek's Graphite palette.
- Elf blending brush.
- Mac kohl eyeliner in "Smoulder" on upper lash line and waterline and Ben Nye "Jade" on lower lash line.
- Benefit badgal lash mascara.
- No concealer hence all the redness

Loving the Ben Nye shadows - look how iridescent and lovely they are. I will definitely be buying refills when they're finished. They are available to buy in Covent Garden at both Charles Fox and Screen Face and of course many other places online.