Colour of the Moment: Sky Blue

Something's turning heads this Summer. It's not hot, it's cool. Sky blue is taking style and making it hella dreamy.

1/THE EYES

YSL Ombre Solo Smoothing Effect Eyeshadow in Mogador Blue (£21)

2/THE DRESS

Warehouse Jacquard T Shirt Dress (£70)

3/THE NAILS

Barry M Gelly High Shine Nail Paint in Sugar Apple (£3.99)

4/THE BLING

Principles by Ben de Lisi Designer Blue Stone Link Bracelet (£9.60)

5/THE HAIR

L'Oreal Professionnel Hair Chalk in Garden Party, £12.75

What's your colour of the season? 

Currently Obsessed With #5 Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate Eye Palette

Looking back at the eyeshadow shades I used to wear, it was all about the hot pinks, deep purples, emerald greens, and even cobalt blues. Now I'm a working girl in my mid-20s, and it's time for a change. I've completely fallen in love with Bobbi Brown's Rich Chocolate Eye Palette. 

Ranging from base colour 'bone' to 'rich chocolate', which can be used as an eyeliner, this palette is a dream for those who love doing a neutral, buildable everyday eye. The palette even offers two glittery night shades - Caramel Sparkle and Champagne Truffle Shimmer Wash - which can be brushed over a base colour to add some jazz to your base. It also comes with a double-ended shading and liner brush for application.

The look I've created above features 'bone' as a base, covered with 'frappe' and lined with 'rich chocolate' on my top and bottom lash lines. J'adore!

Have you tried this eye palette? xxx

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex

Just like the facial skin care sector is saturated, so is the eye rejuvenation market. You could literally spend hours searching for the best of the best - ones that reduce puffiness, ones that remove dark circles, and ones that minimise fine lines and wrinkles - so the best thing to do is search for reviews or go with trial and error. After all, everyone's different.

My first ever eye cream purchase was Origins GinZing, which was good to start with but disappointing after a few uses. Then I came across a sample of the Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex in a package from QVC and decided to give it a go. 

I've heard a lot of great things about Alpha-H skin care, but I've never really been sold on it. I wasn't desperate to get my hands on Liquid Gold, thinking a lot of the hype was down to the use of the word 'gold' and nothing more. But after trying the brand's eye product, I have changed my mind.

In terms of its texture, it's a clear gel that is easily absorbed around the eye area. You don't need too much per eye and you will feel a slight tingle for a few seconds - this is the Eye Complex working with ingredients such as peptides (reduce loss of elasticity), hibiscus flower (reduce dark circles) and cucumber (reduce puffiness).

The reason why I love this eye product is purely because of the results I have seen. After 3 or 4 days, the dark circles around my eyes were significantly less visible and my skin looked tight and refreshed. If you're looking for an eye cream that really does work, give this one a try.

What is your favourite eye cream? xxx

Mary Kay At Play Baked Eye Trios in Ocean View & Tuxedo

You know what it's like when your make-up stash feels like Mount Everest and you dig in and find a hidden gem? After swatching these Mary Kay Baked Eye Trios, that's exactly what happened to me.

There's four trios in the collection - Ocean View (blue and silver), Earth Bound (gorgeous green, brown and gold), On The Horizon (plum and brow) and Tuxedo (pearl, grey and black shimmer).

THE SWATCHES

As you can see, the shades are so shimmery, pigmented and buildable. All of them work really well to mix and match and blend together, and the finish is lovely.

What's your favourite baked eyeshadow? xxx

Collection Eyeshadow Pencil in Gunmetal Glitz

When I first discovered the A/W 13 products from Collection, I was blown away. As someone who isn't a huge fan of drugstore make-up, aside from the odd Revlon nail enamel and Bourjois lipstick, I wasn't expecting to fall in love with a brand I perceived to be cheap and cheerful. 

But I was wrong. Collection's Work The Colour Eyeshadow Pencils are seriously impressive and the range of shades - including baby pink, smoky grey and chestnut brown - are wearable and appeal to all women. The one pictured above and swatched below is Gunmetal Glitz.

I love how the colour is so pigmented with a touch of glitter to give it an evening edge.  However, for me, the best thing about these Eyeshadow Pencils is their immense staying power - you really do need to rub and scrub them off to even to make a smudge. And they only cost about £3 each.

The truth is that Collection has grown up - by taking inspiration from beauty looks such as 20s Gatbsy glamour, its products are now clearly for young women in their 20s, and my lust list is growing in size by the day!

Have you tried Collection's Eyeshadow Pencils? xxx

*This post contains a PR sample. All views are my own

Beauty Looks A-Z: Walnut

With A/W 13 just around the corner, it's time to get deep when it comes to make-up for work and glam nights out. I can't think of a more gorgeous colour than walnut to get us beauty lovers in the mood for cosy knit jumpers, mugs of hot chocolate and movie nights.

Here's the products I'll be reaching for this month:

 Charlotte Tilbury Rock'n'Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in Barbarella Brown (£19)
Sisley Hydrating Longlasting Lipstick in Golden Copper (£33)
Clinique All About Shadows in Black Honey (£16)
Montagne Jeunesse Nut Oil Masque (£1)
MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked (£12.50)
Original Source Mint and Walnut Scrub (250ml, £2.65)
Tom Ford She Wolf Ombre Eye Colour Palette (£50)
Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour in Mahogany Brown (£6.99)
Essie Nail Polish in Chocolate Cakes (15ml, £7.99)
Batiste Dry Shampoo Brown - Dark & Deep (200ml, £3.99)
Clarins Limited Edition Colour Breeze Gloss Prodige in Chocolate (£17)
Everyday Minerals Brow Color Selection (£5.95)

What do you think of this week's beauty look? xxx

A for Atomic
B for Burlesque
C for Caribbean
D for Dynamite
E for Enchantment
 F for Fantasia
G for Gatsby
H for Halo
I for Indigo
J for Jelly
K for Khaki
L for Lemon & Lime
M for Morello Cherry

N for Neverland
O for Ocean Blue

P for Pearl
Q for Quads

R for Riviera

S for Scented
T for Texture
U for Unisex

V for Velvet

Payday Weekend Haul: Champneys, Vichy, MAC, Body Shop & Rimmel

When payday comes around, it doesn't take long for me to pay a visit to the likes of Boots, Superdrug and Selfridges - you name it, I'll be there with my debit card burning a hole through my handbag.

This weekend, I popped over to Boots to take advantage of the Champneys offer (free Distant Shores body scrub when you spend £10 or over) and bought the invigorating Energising Lime Foaming Body Scrub. I also grabbed the Vichy Thermal Water (my skincare essential) and added the Golden Bronze Scandaleyes Shadow Paint to my collection.

Then I got the gorgeous Ruby Woo Retro Matte Lipstick at MAC. I nearly bought Cyber too, but I think it looked a little too gothic on me - wish it was a little bit lighter!

Finally I shot into the Body Shop to buy my new skin care favourite - the Camomile Cleansing Butter. I got a sample of this a couple of days before and it's so lovely to use - it melts into your skin and leaves it clean and soft. If you love skin care, it's well worth a try.

I'll be back later this week with my Feel Unique purchase...

What did you buy this weekend? xxx

Artdeco Colour & Art Collection

If there's one beauty brand that's underrated, it's Artdeco. I honestly don't think people know too much about the brand or where to find it, so I thought I'd show you all some staples from one of the latest drops.

I managed to get my hands on three lovely products from the new Colour & Art Collection - the Dip Eyeliner in Turquoise Green (£9.50), Blusher in Pink Juice (£10.25) and Ceramic Nail Lacquer in Green Mood (£9.50). These are all swatched below.

DIP EYELINER

First of all we have this gorgeous shimmery aqua liquid eyeliner, which has a gel texture and is paraben-free. I absolutely adore the colour of this - it's so fresh and would add a sparkle to anyone's eye.

My only issue with this product is its really fine brush, as I prefer a stronger brush for a steadier application.

BLUSHER

Then we have the powder blusher in Pink Juice, which is a lovely velvety coral. I love the texture of this blush and the colour payoff is great. It comes in a magnetic pan too, which is practical for all of you blusher fanatics out there with palettes to fill.

The only thing I would say is its pretty expensive for what you get and you could probably get some good dupes, but for what it's worth the quality is high with this one.

CERAMIC NAIL LACQUER

Although the colour of this nail lacquer could be questionable for some, it applied really well and there's two coats on my nail in the picture above. The bottles are very cute and there are some fantastic colours to choose from, so don't judge the nail polish by this example if green is not your thing.

All of the above products are available online at Debenhams and Beauty Bay.

Have you ever tried anything from Artdeco? xxx

*This post features PR samples. All views are my own

Beauty Looks A-Z: Velvet

With the launch of the Models Own Velvet Goth collection coming to us beauty lovers very soon, velvet is having its moment in the limelight again.

This week's beauty look showcases the best of velvet effect beauty for the lips, nails, eyes, face and body. Prepare to be enabled!

Here's the products:

NARS Fall Collection Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Mysterious Red (£17.50)
Dove Bath Velvet (500ml, £3.09)
Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush in Nude Velvet (£7.99)
GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer Apricot (£8.99)
Mavala Mini Colour Nail Polish in Velvet (5ml, £4.50)
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Velvet Beige (£7.19)
Shu Uemura Black Velvet Feather False Lashes (£18.50)
Veet SupremEssence Hair Removal Cream with Velvet Rose & Essential Oils (400ml, £7.99)
GOSH Cosmetics Velvet Touch Eye Liner in Pretty Petrol (£4.99)
Revlon Colorstay Nail Polish in Velvet Rope (£7.99)
GOSH Cosmetics Velvet Touch Line Perfector (£14.99)
Illamasqua Velvet Blush in Sleek (£18)

What do you think of this week's beauty look? xxx

A for Atomic
B for Burlesque
C for Caribbean
D for Dynamite
E for Enchantment
 F for Fantasia
G for Gatsby
H for Halo
I for Indigo
J for Jelly
K for Khaki
L for Lemon & Lime
M for Morello Cherry

N for Neverland
O for Ocean Blue

P for Pearl
Q for Quads

R for Riviera

S for Scented
T for Texture
U for Unisex

Love Make Up Wish List

How on earth had I never heard of Love Make Up before?! After just one visit to the home page, I clocked up a hefty wish list and am now counting down the minutes until payday.

Sugarpill Cold Chemistry Eyeshadow in Subterranean
I've never tried anything from Sugarpill before, but the colours are so vivid and deep. I love this teal-toned Subterranean eyeshadow from the new Cold Chemistry collection, which was designed with make-up artist Amelia Arsenic.

Face Atelier Ultra Blush
This is a gorgeous, natural peachy pink powder blusher. It's a product to suit every skin and is currently on sale for £10 down from £20. Result! 

 

Kryolan Black Colour Intensifier Mascara
With this one, I have to admit I'm drawn to the product's name and packaging. Having said that, I've heard great things about Kryolan and the mascara only costs £10, which is quite good for a mid-to-high end mascara. I'd definitely give it a go. 

Ben Nye Classic Translucent Face Powder
I don't even care about Kim Kardashian - this product sells itself. I've been wanting to try the Ben Nye powders for a while now, and I love that they aren't too expensive. Luxury, make-up artist cosmetics for highstreet prices is the dream for us beauty bloggers.

 

Daniel Sandler Micro Bubble Lipstick
I'm not a great neutral lipstick lover - 9 times out of 10 I will buy a bold, bright shade. This lipstick from Daniel Sandler looks like a showstopping orange and would brighten up a monochrome outfit or natural face no end.   

Lime Crime Eyeshadow Helper
The choices are endless when it comes to Lime Crime - everyone lusts over those Velvetines! But as I'm trying to be more adventurous with my eye make-up at the moment, it would be great to try this primer and see if it passes the colour intensifying test.

 

Zoeva Cream Liner in Denim Bar Jeans Blue
I love navy eyeliners a lot, and this one looks gorgeous. I've never tried Zoeva, but there's several eyeliner colours I'd love to swatch on Love Make Up. 

Bdellium Tools Pink Bambu Slanted Contour Brush
There's just something about pink brushes - they are so cute and fluffy! I haven't got a contour brush and I always find it hard to get the right angle with a normal blush brush, so this would be good to have and I'm sure I could find the time to buy a few more to match...

 

Daniel Sandler Beyond Sunset Eyeshadow Quad
This is one of the most stunning eyeshadow quads I have ever seen - the colours are beautiful and so wearable too. It really is all about quality and not quantity with Daniel Sandler, and that's what I love about him and his products.

Have you bought anything from Love Make Up recently? xxx

Guest Post: My Handbag Essentials

Hey everyone! I'm Albertine and my blog is DippyWrites. A couple of days ago, Natasha sent out a tweet asking if anyone would like to do a guest post for her and I jumped at the chance.

I've decided to share my handbag essentials with you; these are the quick-fix items I always have with me when I'm on the go.

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer 

This is the best concealer I've tried ever and I can't bare to leave the house without it. It comes with a blemish and undereye concealer, a setting powder and a tiny mirror all in one sturdy compact, making it perfect for make-up touch-ups on the go.  

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl in Nude 

You know those days when you're up early for work and you just feel and look super tired and drained? Well this eye pencil is for those days! I love having this in my bag so I can just apply a bit to my waterline, instantly making my eyes look a bit more wide awake and alert.

Revlon Crease Brush 

You're probably thinking 'ermmm why do you carry a makeup brush around with you?'. Well, it's for those days when your eyeshadow and primer really just aren't holding up. I like having this in my bag when my eyeshadow majorly creases, so I can quickly blend it again!

Hask Argan Oil 

I love to keep a little vial of this argan oil in my bag for when my hair is being particularly unruly. I just run a pea sized amount through the ends of my hair and it immediately helps to tame them, make them feel silky smooth again.

Carmex Lip Balm

I don't know how I could survive without my massive stash of lip balms! Out of all of them, Carmex lip balm is my favourite one to stash in my handbag. As well as moisturising dry lips, it also has SPF15, which is really useful for protecting your lips from the sun when you're out and about.

Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray 

I love having this in my handbag, especially when the weather's super hot (like it has been recently!). I use this to refresh my makeup throughout the day, but I also like to use it to cool my skin down when the weather is really hot.

So there's my handbag essentials! I hope you've enjoyed reading this - if you have, don't forget to pop over to my blog and have a look at the other types of posts I write.

What are your handbag essentials? xxx

 

Boots & Superdrug Haul: Face, Eyes, Body & Hair

Yes, I've been shopping again. And I'm very happy about it.

Like many shopping trips, this one was totally spontaneous. I went in wanting one thing in particular, but every beauty lover knows that the 'just one thing' rule never applies once you start scouring the shelves. Or ever. 

FACE

How cute are these 99p wash flannels? Such a bargain! In my experience, it really makes a difference to use a fresh flannel when cleansing to minimise the skin's exposure to bacteria. And let's be honest - who could say no to the cotton candy colour and sky blue shade?

EYES

Moving swiftly on to eye products, I've been eyeing up the new Scandaleyes Shadow Paints for a while, so decided to give the beautiful bronze Rich Russet a go. I've also never bought an eye primer, even though I have tonnes of gorgeous shadows to take advantage of, so I picked up Revlon's Photoready Eye Primer & Brightener and will have a review up as soon as possible. 

BODY

I know that dry body brushing is good for cellulite reduction and keeping your skin smooth and buffed, so I picked up the Botanics Detox Brush, which has a lovely organic feel to it. I will use this a couple of times a week and see if it makes any difference. Watch this space!

HAIR

Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour range is my go-to product for dyeing my hair at home, and it's time to top my roots again. I bought the Iced Chocolate shade, which is a lovely deep, shiny brown. I highly recommend Olia to anyone who regularly colours their hair at home.

Have you tried any of the products I bought? Leave your review links below! xxx

Saturday Beauty Steal #15

This week we have another amazing product from the Space.NK sale - the Laura Mercier Limited Edition Cake Eyeliner Palette, which is now only £7 (down from £28). I think you'll agree that's a serious steal!

What is it?

The Laura Mercier Cake Eyeliner Palette comprises three blue shades of 'cake' eyeliner, which is applied by dipping a flat eyeliner brush into water and working the liner into a paste. It has been dermatologically tested to prevent any allergies and was found to be safe for use around the eyes. 

What do I like about it?

The two words 'cake' and 'eyeliner' don't really come together that often, so I am intrigued by the product and its effect when mixed with water. I also love blue shades and particularly like the smoky blue on the far left - you could easily update your FOTD for the evening by adding a darker colour on top of the existing liner for more intensity.

Why is it a steal? 

The price speaks for itself - it's way over 50% off. Laura Mercier is also a well-loved brand and blue is a popular colour for eyeshadow, so the fact the palette of 3 is up for grabs for under a tenner is pretty damn amazing. I'd definitely try it.

The Laura Mercier Limited Edition Cake Eyeliner Palette is available here.

What do you think of this week's beauty steal? xxx

Beauty Shots: Superdrug Christmas Collection

Writing about Christmas collections in July will always be strange to me, but it's always interesting to see what will shine on the highstreet shelves later in the year. Yesterday, I popped along to the Superdrug Christmas cosmetics and bath & body preview and wanted to share my edit of the best bits with you. As far as I know, all of the products roll out to every store in October, and selected stores in September. They will also be available at half price in October, which is always music to beauty lovers' ears!

COSMETICS

BATH & BODY

What are your favourite beauty buys from the Christmas collection? xxx

Beauty Looks A-Z: Quads

If you're a lover of eyeshadow and lip palettes, then you'll know that the best things come in fours. We're simply spoilt for choice when it comes to eyeshadow colours - you can buy four colours and chop and change your look depending on your mood or plans for that day.

That's why my 'Q' beauty looks post is dedicated to every make-up addict's best friend - the quad.

Here's my pick of gorgeous eye and lip quads:

BECCA Eye Colour Quad in Astro Violet (£35)
Illamasqua 4-Colour Liquid Metal Palette (£30.79)
CK One Powder Eyeshadow Quad in Smoking (£25)
Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour Eyeshadow Quad in Addictive (£7.99)
Sleek Lip 4 Lipstick Palette in Tease (£8.99)
Rimmel Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow (£1.50)
Lancome Ombre Absolue Quad Babydoll (£33)
bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow Quad in The Dream Sequence (£29)
L'Oreal Paris Color Riche in Beige Trench (£7.99)
Daniel Sandler Eye Quad in Beyond Sunset (£28)
Rimmel London GlamEyes Quad Eyeshadow in State of Grace (£6.99)
Sleek Lip 4 Lipstick Palette in Showgirl (£8.99)

What do you think of this week's beauty look? xxx

A for Atomic
B for Burlesque
C for Caribbean
D for Dynamite
E for Enchantment
 F for Fantasia
G for Gatsby
H for Halo
I for Indigo
J for Jelly
K for Khaki
L for Lemon & Lime
M for Morello Cherry

N for Neverland
O for Ocean Blue

P for Pearl

Beauty Shots: Autumn Avon & GOSH

Beauty bloggers, meet the A/W 13 make-up marvels from highstreet favourite GOSH Cosmetics and the amazing Avon. I will review some of the samples for you in another post, but for now I just wanted to get some shots up for you stat so you could see what's in store. 

I believe the Avon collection is out on the 24th of August, and the GOSH collection is available exclusively in Superdrug from the 31st of July. Prepare to say hello to your purse!

AVON

Ultra Colour Lip Crayons in Reddy For Me, Showstopper Pink,
Notice Me Nude, Carefree Coral, Fresh Fuschia and Risque Rose

True Colour 8-in-1 Eyeshadow Palettes in The Nudes and The Metallics

True Colour Eyeshadow Quad
in Urban Skyline

True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Jeans

GOSH

Nail Lacquers in Kind of Pink, Frosted Silver, Frosted Purple, Frosted Gold,
Mysterious Mauve and Denim Delight

Darling Lashes Extreme Volume Mascara (Black)
and Waterproof Volume Mascara (Black)

CC Cream Illuminating Foundation in Porcelain, Ivory, Sand,
Natural, Honey and Golden

BB Powder in Sand, Beige, Warm Beige and Chestnut

What are your favourite products from the A/W collections? xxx

Beauty Looks A-Z: Pearl

I'm just going to come out and say it - I love shiny things. Anything that glitters, sparkles and shimmers should have my name on it #fact.

I think pearly, glowy highlighters are perfect for the summer, as are metallic, shimmery nail lacquers. So, for this week's beauty look, I've chosen P for Pearl.

Here's the products you need to be pretty in pearl:

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Nail Polish in Pink Pearl (£11)
Giorgio Armani Cosmetics Madreperla Veil (£34.50)
Sjal Pearl Enzyme Exfoliating Mask (£138, 60ml)
Suqqu Limited Edition Face Colour Palette (£50)
Lancome Genifique Yeux Eye Pearl (£45,20ml)
Estee Lauder Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick in Brilliant Bare (£20)
Max Factor Max Effect Dip-In Eyeshadow in Silver Lounge (£5.99)
Pearl Drops Daily Tea and Coffee Toothpaste (£3.99, 50ml)
Butter London Pearly Queen Nail Lacquer (£12, 11ml)
Nivea Pearl & Beauty Roll-On Deodorant (£2.10, 50ml)
Soap and Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder (£11)
LOOK Nail Pop in Pearl Effect (£5, 10ml)

What do you think of this week's beauty look? xxx

A for Atomic
B for Burlesque
C for Caribbean
D for Dynamite
E for Enchantment
 F for Fantasia
G for Gatsby
H for Halo
I for Indigo
J for Jelly
K for Khaki
L for Lemon & Lime
M for Morello Cherry

N for Neverland
O for Ocean Blue

Beauty Shots: Harvey Nichols

Today marked my first (and definitely not last) visit to beauty paradise - AKA BeautyMart. I know - I can't believe I hadn't been there yet either!

Like most beauty bloggers, I spend a lot of time thinking about fresh, exciting post concepts for my readers, and I've always wanted to go along to a beauty store or counter and capture exactly what I found myself lusting after at the time. And that's exactly what I did today.

Oh, and I popped along to Space.NK too. Given that I'm on a spending ban, the word 'willpower' certainly comes to mind...

BeautyMART

NEW IN: EOS Hand Lotions. L-R: Petals, Cucumber and Berry Blossom

NEW IN: Swatches of the ILIA Lipstick Crayons

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

Revlon Liquid Quick Dry, Quick Dry Base Coat and Quick Dry Top Coat

HIPP X RGB Nail Foundations

Japonesque Safari Chic Bronzer Brush

SPACE.NK

NARS Blush in Gaiety

NARS Eyeshadow Duos in South Pacific, Mad Mad World and Cleo

Life NK Parsley & Mint and Tomato & Rhubarb Candles

Lipstick Queen China Town Glossy Pencils

What would you like to buy from BeautyMART and Space.NK? xxx