MAC MSF 'Blonde'

I forgot to mention this product before, but I picked this up when I was on my way to New York as a cheeky little duty free purchase...

The MAC Naturally Collection is the first MAC collection in a long time to really get me excited and I really wanted to get my hands on either the Blonde or the Redhead MSF from the collection. Being a blonde, I decided to go with the Blonde one.

So here it is, in all it's swatched glory!

I've been using this as a little extra highlight on top of my blusher or as a glory blusher on it's own. As a highlighter I use more of the lighter side and as a blush I go for the pinker side. I love the slightly frost glow that cools down the pinky tones.

As with all the MSF's I have, this is a gorgeous product - that doesn't need a huge amount of product at all for some colour (expect it would need more on darker skin tones) so will really last. For that reason I really shouldn't buy more MSF's... but they are so irresistible!


Bought by me.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush 'Fresh Pink'

So in New York one of my definite 'must buys' was this Dream Bouncy Blush from Maybelline. I think I've been having a bit of a Maybelline moment as there were a few things on my shopping list from the brand that I really wanted to pick up - this being number one on the list.

I chose shade 05 'Fresh Pink' and I love it - it is pretty much as described, a light pink which thanks to the creamy texture leaves a nice glow. The texture of these things is really hard to describe, like an inflated cream? It 'deflates' or dents on a fairly gentle touch. It feels quite mouldable.









The light creamy blush is easy to build up if you want a stronger colour, but as I'm fairly pale at the moment a gentle wash of colour was plenty for me. I find it easiest to use my fingers for this blush. I have been wearing this on my cheeks with my current favourite eye look which is flicked liquid liner.





I really hope that these gorgeous blushers will make it across the pond at some point, although I'm hearing mixed news as to if they are or not... If not then may be emergency trip across the pond to stock up on more. Might be a bit too much for a blusher, but seriously - these are gorgeous. Please Maybelline, bring them to the UK!

New York Beauty Buys

So, I promised I'd do a post on the bits I picked up in New York, so here they are and a little run down on what I chose and why!

I had a few bits on my list before I went that I really wanted to pick up, funnily enough there were loads of products from Maybelline... which I know is a brand we have here, but many on the products launch there first or may never even make it over the Atlantic.

The two things I picked up were one of the 24hour Color (colour) tattoo and a Dream Bouncy blush. I've heard mixed reports on if the Dream Bouncy blushers are making it over the pond - I really, really, really, really, really hope they do as I'm kicking myself for only buying one. I love the colour and texture, they really aren't like anything I've tried before - creamy and light, when you stick your finger in it kinda dents/deflates! Very unusual, but a gorgeous colour for a creamy glowy blush - I really need more of these in my life.

The 24hour color tattoo on the other hand I'm a bit on the fence about, I like the shade but it wasn't that pigmented and it felt too creamy to really last, but I haven't given it a full test yet so will wait and see.

I had a couple of other bits on the US Maybelline list...including the Baby Lips lip balms, I hunted all over for these but couldn't find them ANYWHERE! And of course now that means I want to try them even more than I did before.

I also heard many good things about the Revlon Lip Butters too, so picked one of these up - it was a tough call which colour but I went with Strawberry Shortcake. A fairly bright pink, that applies much sheerer than it looks.

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake
Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in Audacious Asphalt
Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Fresh Pink

In Sephora I picked up a mini bottle of the Urban Decay All Nighter potion, another product I wanted to try for a while but don't really need a huge bottle - so this mini sized (cost around $11) is ideal. So far, it works really well - setting make-up and making it last.

Urban Decay All Nighter Mini Spray

Another product that I have high hopes for coming more widely available over here is Sally Hansen colour products - in the US they really do have an amazing range. I love these Salon Effects, I tried a Zebra print one over Christmas and then fell in love with these bronzy animal print ones too. So I picked a set up.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Kitty Kitty

Another Sally Hansen purchase, a gorgeous neutral colour that's good for Spring. I've already worn this for a recent nail of the day with the sparkly pink over the top...

Sally Hansen Smooth and Perfect in Sorbet

More nail colours... yes, I have a problem.

Gorgeous pink from Wet-n-Wild which reminds me of Look Bling, but even cheaper. I think this was around $1.50 - so cheap. The Essie Lux Effect feels like a bargain as they are so much cheaper in the US at around $8 a bottle. I could have been tempted by so many, but held myself back.

Back to Sephora I indulged my weakness for Sephora OPI colours, with two full size glitter/flakie shades - a gorgeous blue and a copper. The coppery colour was reduced to $5... so I had to really!

L-R: Wet n Wild in Sparked, Essie Luxe Effect in Shine of the Times
OPI for Sephora in Indi-go with the flow (blue) and Don't be eggnog-ious (copper)

Then I made a little bit of an error and picked up two almost identical colours, one from Wet-n-Wild and one from Revlon. I picked them up at different times, so basically forgot I had already purchased one (oops) and was drawn to them as they look like almost like the silver version of petrol.. when you see all those multiple colours, but with a metallic silver base. The Revlon also has a few pieces of glitter in it. I'll either do a comparison or include one in my upcoming three year blogging giveaway.

L-R: Wet n Wild in Gray's Anatomy and Revlon in Smoldering

And last but by no means least, I picked up this beauty... which I blogged about back when I confessed my slight addiction to mini nail polish HERE...where I actually described the collection as the 'holy grail of all things mini'. I was a bit overexcited when I saw there were a couple of these available as thought they would have sold out at Christmas. This was a bit of an indulgence at $48, but totally worth it for a mini-addict.

The Sephora OPI holy grail of mini nail polish...

I'll do a separate post with full reviews/swatches... but overall I'm really happy with the beauty bits I picked up in America. My only regret is maybe not getting another shade of the bouncy blush and that I couldn't find the Baby Lips.


All bought by me.

Best of 2011: Foundation

Erm, this is a bit of a fail I'm afraid as of all the foundations I've tried in 2011 - none of them have really blown me away to call them the 'Best of' - I think Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua has to be up there, but even that I haven't gotten around to reviewing, so can't have been that impressed since I bought it in the summer.

So instead of foundation I decided I wanted to give it to another face product so I chose Nars Multiple in 'G Spot' from the Christmas collection. This multiple is gorgeous, especially on winter skin - it's a deep red with a golden shimmer running through it and since I reviewed it back in October it has been a number one blusher choice for me (and occasionally for a bit of lip colour too) it creates a gorgeous healthy flush, with a bit of a glow thanks to the gold shimmer. Because it's creamy it helps keep winter skin looking a bit healthier and I absolutely adore it.

The big pinky/red swatch in the middle is Nars G Spot - gorgeous!

It's one that when a friend was over and we were obsessively cooing over make-up she swatched it and fell for it immediately. Writing down the name to order as soon as she got home. It's that good.

Despite the colour looking a bit scary, it really isn't - it would suit a whole range of skin tones as it blends easily but can be built up for stronger colour if wanted.

So no winners for me in terms of foundation this year (boo) but love this Nars multiple instead.

Vivo Baked Shimmer Palette in 'Paparazzi'

Sadly, living in central London means there aren't any Tesco stores large enough near me to stock Vivo - ever since it first launched I've been seeing blogs with lust-worthy, bargain products on. Slightly ironic since I grew up somewhere where Tesco was a short walk or drive away, didn't really think about it then - now I wish I had one on my doorstep again!

Anyway, odd supermarket thoughts aside - here's a few pics and swatches of this lovely little baked shadow and blusher compact from Vivo.

First up, I love how these little domed pans look like little planets - very cute. I think the combination of colours is quite unusual, it's a real rainbow of shades.

Each of the colours are packed with shimmer - for the blush this gives a gorgeous glow (I adore this colour). The most wearable eyeshadow shade has to be the black I'd say or possibly the pink. The blue is very cool toned and frosty, I'm not sure how I would add this into a look as I prefer warmer shades. The mint green is very pretty - but like the blue, I'd need to look up some inspiration on how to use this, maybe with a champagne gold colour??

With Flash

Artificial Light

Natural Light

My favourite product in the palette is the gorgeous glowy blush - I've been using this a lot as I love the warm peachy-pink shade with a glowy shimmer - but not glitter. The fact that all these shades are shimmer but not glitter is a major bonus, normally cheaper shadows seem to be packed out with glitter instead of the finer milled pigments.

Have you managed to stick any Vivo in your shopping trolley when stocking up on other 'essentials'?! What do you think of the range??

Vivo is available from Tesco, the palette is priced £6 (bargain).

PR samples.

Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter

Benefit have a new glow-giving highlighter offering that apparently has been inspired by a light bulb. One end of the packaging has the twist up creamy highlighter and the other end has a little round sponge to blend.

I think the sponge part is pretty pointless personally, firstly it seems to just wipe the highlighter away rather than blend it and also I don't like that it's a bit awkward to wash. But all that being said, I do really like the creamy peach shade of the highlighter.

Benefit Watt's Up Packaging

The light bulb inspired tube

Sponge blender on one end (twist up product at the other)

Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter (top blended, bottom not blended)

The highlighter is a warm peachy champagne shade that has a glow but not full of sparkle (instant turn-off for me) it's creamy and blends nicely. I think the shade is best suited to paler skin shades as think it might just vanish on darker skins? 

I'll be using this for a bit of a subtle winter glow on the tops of cheeks plus maybe a touch on the brown bone.

Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter is available now from Benefit.com or Boots.com (where you can get a free face emulsion gift with purchase) for £24.50

PR sample.