New Make Up and a FOTD

I've got a few new bits recently that I wanted to share with you. The first thing I wanted to mention is another Revlon Colorburst lipstick. I went in to Superdrug and swatched Blush and picked one up to buy. I unwrapped it the following day only to realise what I bought was Rosy Nude and not Blush at all! That is the folly of going shopping with a baby and a toddler.

Anyway, enough ramble. Rosy Nude is lovely but extremely similar to MAC Cosmo and Laura Mercier Pink Cocoa. I'll talk more about the similarity in another post. Here are a couple of pictures of Rosy Nude below. The lipstick is like the other Colorbursts in that it is relatively sheer and very glossy. I find it a very wearable shade.

I received MAC Club eyeshadow and So Ceylon MSFs a couple of days ago via a swap. Both of these are items that have been on my wishlist a long time! I have included a photo of Club in the pan and also applied on my eye (swatches are further down). Club is described on the MAC website as a muted reddish brown duochrome with opalescent shimmer. I have read lots of great reviews about this eyeshadow and it certainly wasn't a disappointment. It's a gorgeous colour, I don't find it particularly red either. I know quite a lot of people report problems with this looking muddy without a base. I was relieved to find this wasn't the case for me, especially as I don't have any appropriate cream bases. I'm sure I'm going to reach for this colour a lot.

I've been interested in trying MAC So Ceylon MSF for some time. I had seen a few of TiffanyD's tutorials where she used this as a bronzer and I thought it looked very subtle. I'm a bit on the fence about MSF's generally (I don't think you'll see any In The Groove posts from me) but I thought I'd give it a chance. Well, I'm undecided so far. It's ok but I'm not in love. I think I really need to wait until my face isn't so tanned to make a better judgment.

Here are some swatches of all three items. From top to bottom, So Ceylon, Rosy Nude and Club.

This was yesterday's face wearing Club, So Ceylon and Rosy Nude. I know it's very hot at the moment but the 'glow' isn't down to the heat but thanks to the Hourglass Tinted Moisturiser I was wearing. Although it's only a sample, I might talk about this in a different post. Apologies for the green brows too, I think I must have had some of the tinted moisturiser in my brows when I put the pencil, oops!

Jane x

Beautiful women

Today's post is going to be one of few words. I wanted to share with you some pictures of women who's style and beauty I really admire.

Take it away Linda







Helena





Isabella





Monica





Milla





My last addition is a bit of a trivky one. Sometimes I love her, sometimes I don't....but in this picture, she has it!

Scarlett


I hope you enjoyed.

A Nostalgic Moment

On the run to nursery to the other day I caught a waft something that took me back a thousand years. Well, more like the late 80's and early 90's but you know what I mean. The smell was Fidji by Guy Laroche.



I got this perfume in a miniature set, most likely for Christmas. The set also contained Paloma Picasso which I used to wear a lot, though I cannot recall now the exact scent smells I know it was a heavy perfume. Another favourite from the set was Trésor by Lancôme. I adore this perfume still but only after a bit of wear. I find the initial smell a little too strong.



The set also contained Lou Lou by Cacherel. If you are of a similar age to me you probably remember this perfume very well. To me this goes hand in hand with Coty's Exclamation to evoke memories of teenage girls dowsing themselves in the changing rooms post PE!



I managed to find this little set on quirkyfind.com. I was very relieved to see they didn't actually refer to this one as vintage! I even spotted an Anais Anais gift set that I bought for my Mum many moons ago.

I went through a variety of perfume phases in my teens and early 20's. Some of the more memorable ones were Shalimar by Givenchy, Tendre Poison by Dior, Ysatis and Amarige de Givenchy and Tuscany per Donna by Aramis. I even went through a phase of wearing 4711 Eau de Cologne (which I see Zuneta have recently added) and Eau Sauvage for Men. I have a miniature of the Sauvage somewhere, I no longer wear it but I still love the scent.



My tastes have changed quite a lot over the years and I no longer wear such strong perfumes but I still lean towards the unusual rather than the popular. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect fragrance but it's nice to pick new scent memories along the way.

Are there any perfumes that instantly take you back to a particular time? Do you look back with mirth at the fragrances you wore as a teen? I'd love to hear about your perfume history.
Jane x

Giveaway Winner!

We have a winner. For your viewing pleasure I recorded a video of me drawing the name out of an extremely classy weighing dish!



So, our winner is M. of Facegoop fame. Congratulations M., if you could get in touch so that I can sort out posting the prize items to you I'd be very grateful.

Thank you everyone for talking part and sharing your foundation favourites with me.
Jane x

Old Favourites

I spend a lot of time talking about new favourties and what I'd like to get next. So, I thought it was high time I gave a mention to some of my old favourites. I apologise in advance as not all of these colours are still available but I thought it would be interesting to share with you anyhow.

Eyeshadows
The first eyeshadows I wanted to mention are from the only quad I've ever purchased from MAC. It's the Smoking Quad from the Smoke Signals collection, released September 2007. I remember going to buy this extremely well as I was overdue with William and waddled in to MAC having contractions! The colours that I love from this palette are Next to Nothing and Satin Taupe. Next to Nothing is a flesh coloured beige with champagne shimmer. It's limited edition but I believe it has been re-released a few times. Satin Taupe is a bit of a ubiquitous MAC colour but I love it all the same. After years of trying colours that were too warm for me this was a revelation. I have worn it both as a lid colour and crease colour and feel it works well either way.

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Left; Next to Nothing, Right; Satin Taupe


Left; Satin Taupe, Right ; Next to Nothing

My other favourite eyeshadow colours are Brule and Omega (both MAC again). I bought Brule after watching Nic from Pixiwoo do her corner lashes look. It's a nude beige and is close to skin colour for me as you can probably tell from the swatch below. I'll often use this all over the eye to even out any discolouration. I also use it a lot to help blend out crease colours, both above the crease and at the outer edge of my eye if I've taken colour out too far.

Omega is a really naturally crease colour for me and I picked it up when I was unable to get Wedge. I quite often use Brule over the eye, with Omega in the crease and a gel eyeliner to give a simple defined eye. I also use Omega as a brow powder, it's great for that as it has no red tones. Though after purchasing the Shu Seal Brown pencil it's been a bit negleted for my brows!


Left; Brule, Right; Omega


Left; Omega, Right; Brule

Eyeliners
I was astonished when I was pulling out items for this post, just how many eyeliners I have. I'm obviously a big fan! I wear glasses so I do find my eyes disappear if I don't line them. I also think I mentioned to someone the other day, if I don't use a liner you can see all my mascara blob marks more easily. Ooops! Maybe I should start putting mascara on first then cleaning up? Anyway, I digress.



The first eyeliner I want to mention is MAC fluidline in Macroviolet (pictured above). I purchased this a long time ago and it really need replacing now. I know MAC fluidlines aren't for everyone but I absolutely adore this colour. It's a slightly metallic violet and is dark enough to add definition but not so much that you can't see the colour. I've often worn it with Brule as an all over and MAC Mink Pink as a crease colour to make a bit of a change from the usual brown or taupe.



Top to Bottom; MAC Teddy, TBS Rich Brown, Rimmel Hurricane Grey


Top to Bottom; TBS Rich Brown, Rimmel Hurricane Grey, MAC Teddy

I've had and loved these eye pencils for a long time. They're all really easy to wear for me so they're great for when I'm in a rush. The brown is from the The Body Shop and is their Rich Brown eye definer. It looks quite dark in the swatch but somehow seems more chocolately on my eyes. I didn't realise until recently that it works well for me because it doesn't have much red in it. The grey is Rimmel's eye pencil in 164 Hurricane Grey which as the name describes it's a stormy grey. I find I can't wear greys generally but this one somehow works. MAC Teddy eye kohl is real favourite and I will definitely re-purchase when it runs out. It's a bronzey brown colour and works well as a just a line or smudged out. This is one of the few things recommended for my eye colour that does look good on me (if I do say so myself!). I know this one is still available as it's part of MAC's permanent line, whereas as I'm not sure if the other two have been discontinued.

Lips


Bourjois lipstick and lip liner


Top to Bottom; Bourjois Cannelle rosée, Bourjois Enjôleuse lip liner, Rimmel Temptress lipstick

I'm extremely fond of this Bourjois lipstick as it's the colour I wore on my wedding day. The colour is Cannelle rosée (no.45) and whilst investigating last night this was the only shade they no longer had! It's a rosy pink and is very similar to my Rouge Bunny Rouge Irreverence, though with a slightly more orange hue to it. The Bourjois lip liner is in the shade Enjôleuse (no.11). This again is a rosy pink, though a bit darker than the lipstick. It's quite similar to my lip colour so it is really handy. I have been known to wear this smudged all over my lips with a bit of gloss.

The last lipstick I wanted to mention is Rimmel Temptress. It is a Sheer Temptation lipstick which again I think is discontinued. The shade is quite a a dark metallic plum. I'm not entirely sure what made me pick this up as it isn't a usually choice for me but I'm very glad I did. It's a lovely colour, the formula is easy to wear and with of slick I instantly feel 'done'.


Blusher



I've mentioned this before in my blush collection post. I've had MAC Northern Lights MSF for years now. I think it might have been amongst my first MAC purchases. I'd been recommended this to use as a blush for my colouring. I don't wear it as much these days but I can't bring myself to part with it despite the glitter. It gives a lovely sheen to the cheeks and looks nice on it's own or over a matte blusher.

Do you have old favourites lurking in your make up bag?
Jane x

Friday's Fancies

It's been a while since I've posted about all the things I've got on 'the list'. It's grown immensely in the last few weeks as I've seen so many beautiful things on blogs that I want to try. I'm sure I'll be able to have a look at some of them in the flesh soon as the trip to London is no longer a pipe dream!

I've never had any Ellis Faas products before but there have been several posts recently (London MakeUp girl and Get Lippie, I'm looking at you) that left me needing the Eye Light in E304 Lilac. To be fair, that's just the tip of the iceberg, after seeing Grace's video I'd really like to investigate this line a lot more. I appreciate there are problems with the applicators but the colours just look so gorgeous.



The Kjaer Weis line at Space.NK is another on my to buy list. Visionary Beauty has bought a couple of items from the line (see here and here). I am very interested in the Wisdom, the Taupe eyeshadow but I think the Earthy Calm looks very interesting too. I also would like to try the blushers. Although I'm keen on making a purchase I have a confession to make. I intend to buy refill pans and get a Z palette to put them in. You may call it cheap, I call it ingenious!



I have a few things that I hope to look at from Le Métier de Beauté. I saw the cream blush in Tenne mentioned some while ago. I love Bones so when New York City Pretty was promising me the cheeks of Temperance Brennan, I was hooked! I'm very interested in their Kaleidoscope Eye kits too.

I'm really looking forward to the Guerlain Autumn Winter collection coming out. The eye palettes look fabulous. If you haven't seen them already, check out British Beauty Bloggers pictures. Looking at the pictures now I still struggle to pick which I like most!

I would have included the Guerlain eye kohl in Oriental Metal, as mentioned by Get Lippie and Lady of the Lane, but I caved on this completely. I heard the word discontinued and it was like a red rag to a bull! This will be with me soon I hope.

That's it for me. Tell me what is tickling your fancy this Friday!
Jane x

Giveaway reminder

This is just a little reminder that my giveaway will close for entries on Sunday (27th) at 10pm. I've amended the entry conditions so that it is open to everyone now, not just followers.

Good luck!

Simple FOTD and a Thank you to Replica!

It's a really simple face and the colours probably appear more muted than in real life. I wanted to share this with you as I have been wearing variations on this most of the week. I even had a little go at putting it on in front of the camera!





Face
MAC Studio Fix concealer NC20 on blemishes
MAC Select Moisturecover NW20 undereyes
MAC Well Dressed blush
Shu Uemura Seal Brown brow pencil

Eyes
Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon on mobile lid
Bobbi Brown Taupe in the crease
Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in Zero
L'Oréal Voluminous mascara

Lips
MAC Hug me
Hourglass Ignite Extreme Sheen lipgloss

I also wanted to say a big, big Thank You to Replica (http://visionarybeauty.blogspot.com) who kindly sent me the Laura Mercier lipstick I'm wearing below. She also sent me some really thoughtful samples. If you are not already a follower please do go and read her blog, she has fabulous taste and has sparked many makeup desires for me! The lipstick is Laura Mercier Satin finish in Pink Cocoa. I'm wearing the same make up as above with the exception of the blusher which is Illamasqua Rude.



Thanks again Replica, I love it!
Jane x

EOTD - Vex and Stars N' Rockets

I was inspired to try this combination by the very lovely blogger loveaudrey. I really like Vex eyeshadow but sometimes struggle to know what to wear it with other than eyeliner. So I was thrilled to see loveaudrey's list of ways to wear it. Instead of Parfait Amour, I used Stars N' Rockets in the crease.





Eyes
Painterly paint pot
MAC Vex all over the mobile lid blended up over the crease
MAC Stars N' Rockets in the crease
Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Caviar Ink
L'Oréal Voluminous mascara

Today I'm wearing it with MAC Well Dressed blush and Illamasqua Test lipstick. I have worn this with Up The Amp lipstick too and it looked great. I'm so pleased to have discovered this pairing as it's lovely for the warm weather. So bright and cheery!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend,
Jane x

Colour unco-ordinated!

I really wish I had a natural flair for putting colours together. It seems I'm always getting one element of my make up wrong. Whether it's a clashing lipstick or a poor choice of blush, it certainly seems to be a common occurrence. I read about how to pair colours and how to work out what undertone you are but I'm still prone to mistakes.



I have got a lot better at choosing things that suit my colouring. Through a process of trial and (a lot) of error I know that I can wear ashy tones but that warm, red based shades are a total no, no! I've tried a lot of eyeshadows for blue eyes which promised to make my eyes pop but I can assure you just made me look ill. Some memorable errors were Woodwinked, Cranberry and Rubenesque paint pot (from my MAC only era). All lovely colours just no good on me. I don't seem to make as many errors with lipstick but it has happened. Angel was the biggest disappointment. This is so popular and I really like the colour but on my lips? A definite fail!

So, now even though I have purged my collection of the colours that don't suit me I still manage to mess it up by choosing lipstick, blush and eyeshadows that don't compliment each other. I can see the mistakes once it's on my face though. I recently read a post by Confessions of a Makeupholic about how to match your blush with your eyeshadow, I still haven't quite got it though so I think more research is required. Though maybe it will be another case of learning as I go along.

I'd love to hear about how you select colours. Is it something you're able to do by instinct or have you taught yourself some rules? Or do you make the odd mistake like me? Did it take you long to work out what suits you or are you bold enough to make anything work?

Jane x

Concealers - in search of the Holy Grail

Concealer is one item I simply cannot live without. With my dark circles I could frighten small children and I have blemishes and discoloration which I like to cover too. On good days I can go without foundation but never without concealer.



I'm always on the look out for the best undereye concealer. I recently finished my Touche éclat and although I like it I won't re-purchase for now as I think I need something more opaque and less of a highlighter to see me through the young baby stage. At the moment I'm using either Benefit Erase Paste in fair or MAC Select Moisturecover in NW20. I picked up the Erase Paste in a swap, I had been keen to try this for a while but wasn't willing to pay the full price. I often find with Benefit you're paying for the packaging rather than a premium product so I confess I was dubious. I've only had it a week or so but I have to say it's not love. It covers well but the colour is a little too light for me as I get a bit of white cast under my eye. I haven't logged how long it lasts but I think it wears quite well on the downside it feels quite heavy on the eye.

I have had the Moisturecover for quite a while. I like the texture of this and find it feels comfortable under the eye. The negatives for me are that it doesn't set so has a tendency to settle in my lines (not a good look). It's easy enough to blend it out again but I often forget to check. I have wondered about using something like Benefit powderflage to set it. I refer you to my earlier comment about Benefit though!

Swatches left to right: Erase paste light, Studio Finish NC20, Select Moisturecover NW20


I use MAC Studio Finish in NC20 to cover my blemishes. I can't really fault this. I use it to even out the discoloration above my eyebrows, charmingly referred to as the mask of pregnancy or chloasma. I also use it to neutralises redness around my nose and my chin. I have a broken vein near my nose which I try to even out, it isn't opaque enough to blank this out completely but to be fair the only thing that ever covered it completely was mineral foundation.

I'm still on the look out for the best undereye concealer. Next on the list to try is Bobbi Brown's creamy concealer, I've also heard good things about Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage. I know ginabinawina rates Hourglass Hidden Corrective concealer but I can't quite get my head round the idea of using a stick concealer undereye. If you have tried this and think it's worth a go do let me know.

I'd love to know what you use, what you rate and what you hate. Let me know if there something you think I should try. I look forward to reading your comments.
Jane x

Beauty counters give me THE FEAR!

I have a confession to make. I have a secret fear of beauty counters and the people that work at them. Well, I guess it's not so secret anymore. I've always had THE FEAR but these days I've developed strategies to stop me scuttling away the minute someone makes eye contact! This mostly involves a prepared list and spending even longer than normal putting my make up on, much to my husbands amusement.

I've had this 'issue' for as long as I can remember. Only now as my love for cosmetics grows I'd dearly love to grow a pair get over it. I'd love to pour over the make up without worrying that I'm going to be approached. I'd even like to accept a makeover if offered. I'm not absolutely sure what I'm scared of. I think the fear is that they are looking at me thinking she shouldn't be here, her make up is awful/she's too fat/not beautiful enough to buy this, delete as appropriate. It's totally ridiculous as make up is for everyone, not just the beautiful and it should be about enhancing what you've got. Believe me, I've given myself a talking to many time but to no avail!

I suppose it doesn't help that I've had a few bad experiences at counters. The bruised eye look at a Lancôme concession and the Benefit sales assistant arguing that the foundation was a perfect colour match (I'm sure it would have been, if only I was an Oompa Loompa)! The internet has revolutionised make up buying for me. I first found Specktra when I discovered what a make up swatch was and I've not looked back since! I love that you can peruse a collection or look at hundreds of shades without even leaving the house. It makes it so much easier knowing what I want to look at before I even approach a counter, or buy online and avoid THE FEAR altogether.



The only trouble is, now I really do want to brave a make over. I'm also planning a trip to London in the not too distant future and I want to look at a few lines which aren't available or have limited availability online. It will be a bit of a washout if I can't get near the make up for fear that someone will talk to me!

So, tell me, what is your approach to make up counters? Do you go with a plan or do like to just pop along to see what's new? Do you have a particular sales assistant that you trust and do you enjoy make overs? I'd also love to know if anyone else if counter challenged like me!

Jane x

I'm fuming

Well, yes, it's a bit of an exaggeration but I'm using my artistic license. I'm not in the mood to be trifled with I will admit to that!

It was a ridiculously early start this morning. About 5am I think, not particularly great when I went to bed after midnight. So, in light of my tiredness and grumpy mood I've gone for something bright to lift my spirits.

The pictures are clickable and the if you follow the link it shows the most accurate colour representation. Something very odd happens to colours the minute I try and edit on Photobucket or Picasa and in this case it's a shame to lose the vibrancy of the lipgloss.







Face
Revlon Photoready
MAC Select Moisturecover under eyes
NARS Laguna
Illamasqua Beg - tiny bit on the cheek
Shu Uemura Seal Brown on brows

Eyes
MAC Painterly paint pot
MAC Brule lash to brow
MAC Omega in crease
Benefit Eye Bright to highlight
Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Caviar Ink
L'Oréal Voluminous mascara

Lips
Illamasqua intense lipgloss in Fume

I'm really pleased with this, with the exception of my base. I desperately need a new foundation and this is the shade I wear with fake tan. Only I haven't used any fake tan today, hence the Oompa Loompa face and white neck! Please feel free to take a look at my giveaway post and make a foundation recommendation. Yes, you're quite right, as well as being grumpy today I've lost all sense of shame!

Jane x

*Updated prices* Blog Sale

I have quite a lot of stuff that is just not getting any use these days and I wondered if anyone might be interested. I've lowered the price of some items now, feel free to make an offers too! So here are the rules.

1. Paypal Only
2. Open internationally
3. Postage costs:
U.K: £2 + 50p for additional items
Worldwide: £3 + £1 for additional items
4. No returns
5. If you are interested, please leave a comment with the item you would like & your email address and i will send you an invoice



1. MAC Era £4 - used x5-GONE
2. MAC Flirty number £4 - slight dip in the centre-GONE



3. MAC powersurge pencil £5 - loads left, it has been sharpened twice.-GONE



4. MAC Plum Dandy £4 - used 3-4 times
5. MAC Girl About Town £7 - used 3-4 times-GONE



6. YSL Rouge Volupte Spicy Pink £13 - Used 2-3 times.
It's difficult to see the colour here but hopefully you can see the wear. For a good swatch see here.



7. MAC Entremauve pigment £7 – used 2-3 times



8. MAC Vanilla pigment £7 – used 5-6 times - SOLD



9. MAC Blacktrack £8 - this is brand new, without a box.



13. MAC Studio Tech NC20 £4
I’ve used this 3 times but I notice there has been some shrinkage at the edges. I’m selling it as it doesn’t suit my skin. -GONE



14. GOSH blush, 36 Rose Whisper £4 - this has been used 5 times at most.



15. Stila Topaz £2 - used twice, has not yet been sharpened. - SOLD