Models Prefer Nude Eyeshadow Palette

Much to my dismay Urban Decay isn't sold in Australia - it doesn't mean that it's impossible to get hold of over here (hello BeautyBay) but I have found myself considering making an order once or twice before stopping myself. Beauty Bay orders quickly went to the back of my mind when I saw tweets about a Naked Palette dupe in Priceline from a brand called Models Prefer.

I popped into my local Priceline to check it out as I have a Naked 2 Palette shaped hole in makeup bag. I decided not to buy it then and there, and instead to think about it as I am limited on space (life of a backpacker). Naturally want overpowered reason and I went back to buy it a few days later to find that it was on offer - it was a bargain anyway at $10, but it was reduced to $8.

Opening the box and I was really surprised that even the packaging was a dupe for the Naked 2 palette. Inside there are twelve nude shades with two matte shades and ten shimmers. I will admit that I was a little disappointed that the only two matte shades are the lightest shade Bare and the darkest Cocoa. I haven't given all the colours in this palette a go yet but I already have a couple of favourites - Glow, Taupe and Hazel. I've been wearing Glow all over my lid, Taupe in the crease and then Hazel in the outer corners and blended into my lower lash line. I've found these colours last pretty well, and I haven't experienced too much creasing even in an office environment where my skin tends to eat my make up by lunch time.

I would say the tone of this palette is quite warm but despite preferring cooler tones I'm really liking it, especially for the price. The palette also comes with a double ended brush, one end for application and the other end to blend.

While I wouldn't say this palette is an exact dupe, it is a very good attempt and I know it has been selling fast in Priceline. I would definitely recommend this palette as a Christmas present, for younger beauty lovers who can't afford the Naked Palette's $80 pricetag, or even for someone who has their eye on the original but isn't sure if they want to splurge - give this a go first.

Models Prefer Nude Eyeshadow Palette can be found in Priceline stores with the Christmas beauty gift selections. There is also a Day to Night Palette and another with brighter colours (but I don't know the name).

Have you bought this? What did you think?

Kate

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Sephora is Coming to Sydney

All beauty lovers in rejoiced at the news that Sephora would be coming to Australia, and finally they have set the date! We already knew their flagship store would be opening in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall but until the other day it was still a question of when? It has been confirmed that the store will be opening on the 5th December at 12pm. 

While I won't be in Sydney then, I am very excited indeed as I will be going in February so there will be time for some of the craziness to die down (I hope) before I drag my boyfriend in there. There are a couple of reasons that Sephora coming to Australia is a big deal - they are bringing exclusive brands with them and they will be price matching some brands to the US.

My main excitement doesn't really come from the price, although it's good news as cosmetics in Australia ain't cheap, but in the ranges they are bringing with them. The ones that stand out for me are Dr.Jart, Tarte, Kat Von D, Formula X, Sephora Collection as well as Marc Jacobs and Make Up Forever.

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream - I brought a bottle of this travelling with me, and I thought it was good stuff. When we went out in the evening in Thailand and I wanted to make an effort, I put a little bit of this on with some mascara and lipstick and I was sorted. It felt very light and blended in like a dream. I was very sad to find out that you couldn't buy this in Australia when I got here.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush, Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation and Gifted Mascara - I've heard so many good things about Tarte's blushers that I really want to give them a go. From what I've seen of the Tarte Gifted Mascara it looks lovely, but I am intrigued to see if it runs on me, like most formulas seem to.

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01- I've seen Lily Pebbles wear this in quite a few of her videos, and it looks like such a lovely shade of red. I'm still to try any matte lip products and I have my eye on this one!

Formula X Nail Polish - So far I've found Essie nail polishes to be the longest lasting on my nails, so I'm curious to see how I'd get on with one of these, plus they have some great looking shades!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner - I used to be a big fan of watching Miami Ink where I first knew who Kat Von D was, I think it's pretty cool she's brought out her own make up range. I really want to get back into wearing liquid eyeliner and I've heard good things about this.

I'm also looking forward to seeing Marc Jacobs Beauty and Make Up Forever but there's nothing high up on a wishlist, yet.

What does everyone else have on their Sephora wishlist ahead of their opening?

Kate

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Face of The Day #5

It's been a long time since I've done a Face of the Day, but recently I did my make up to go out for dinner with my boyfriend and one of our friends so I thought I'd take a few snaps. 

My make up bag is quite limited at the moment, so my day time look and night time look only differ with what's on my lips and quite possibly the addition to eyeliner on my upper lash line.

Base: Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream

Concealer: Australis Go Camo Full On Coverafw Concealer in Medium

Powder: L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Powder in Medium Skin

Eyeshadow: - Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Eyeshadow in Smokey Quartz

Mascara: - Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara (Black) 

Eyeliner: - Topshop Waterproof Eyeliner

Blusher: - Benefit Coralista

Lips: - Rimmel Apocalips in 402 Across the Universe

I got the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream as part of the Clinique Bonus Time gift set in August, and although I think the shade is one shade too dark for me (but I've been wearing it anyway!) I really like the level of coverage it gives. 

I don't really own much Topshop make up - I have a cream blush back home, but I bought this eyeliner when I was in Malaysia and I am so impressed at it's staying power - it doesn't budge. 

Kate x

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The Five Product Face

I was recently having a read over on Megan Jane Lillie's blog - Thumbelina Lillie when I came across a post called The Simple Five Product Face where she has used only five make up products for her look that day. From watching YouTube videos and reading other blogs, you probably won't see the number of products being used totalling a maximum of five. Knowing that for some it could be a struggle to use just five products, I was wondering how difficult would I find it? The answer surprisingly is not very difficult!

I know I keep harping on about travelling light, not much make up blah blah blah, but it is true that my make up choices are quite limited now. So my products of choice have been - concealer, powder, mascara, brow powder and blusher. The result is above. I've not got a perfect complexion, but a lot of the time I do skip a base and just go straight in with concealer and powder, especially during the Australian Spring and Summer. For this I have used the Australis Go Camo Concealer in Medium, this is a full coverage concealer which is very thick and I would recommend a small brush or a finger to blend. My powder of choice a the moment is the L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Powder in Medium which is a really nice silky powder. For my cheeks, I've chosen the Benefit Dandelion Powder which doesn't really need anything said about it, it's just a nice light pink, nothing too in your face.

For eyes my two products of choice are my favourite mascara Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara in Black which although isn't advertised as waterproof, pretty much is. I can cry, get watery eyes during hayfever season without it budging, flaking or running. For brows I've been using the Essence Stylist Set which is pretty cheap but does the trick, though I do miss my Urban Decay Brow Box. I think the light brown shade in this set is a little too warm for my complexion but I'll stick with it for now. I would like to take a moment to say that my brows don't look so rubbish in person, there is a bit more shape to them.

I'm pretty certain I can manage a Five Product Face day to day, but on some days you do just want base, eyeshadow or a bold lip. 

Kate x

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The Body Shop Wishlist

The Body Shop is a shop that has never really been on my radar. When I was younger, I would regularly buy their body butters (my favourite has always been their Coconut body butter) but that was the extent of my Body Shop collection. I've always known they have good products, so I really don't know why I don't shop there more often.

One of my earliest memories of The Body Shop is going there with my Mum so she could buy a hairbrush. She let me pick out something as well, and of all the things I could have chosen, I picked up a perm comb. Yes, really.

After reading and watching product reviews of TBS products, it's left me browsing their website and building a wishlist. What's even better - they are permanently lowering their prices over here in Australia. (Rumour has it that it's in response to Sephora opening their first store in Oz this year).

1. Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - I've always had mixed feelings on using bronzer. My first bronzer was a MAC bronzer that I bought a few years back. I was never that sure on how to use bronzer but I do have to be very careful that I don't put too much on and risk having a muddy looking face. My current bronzer is Benefit's Hoola, but I like the fact that the Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder comes in different shades depending on your skin tone. Being quite fair, I would probably buy Shade 01 as it looks like it could be quite subtle.

2. Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter - I have never used a cleansing balm or butter, but I am increasingly curious about them. I've always been pretty loyal to the Clinique 3-Step Facial Soap but I think it's about time I branch out and try other cleansers. Especially since the price has lowered on the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter it is on a level with the Clinique Soap.

3. Hemp Hand Protector - I have some real problems with my hands, they are often very dry and I have started to suffer from eczema on my right hand. It can get very very red and sore if I'm not careful. I've read some really good things about this hand cream, so I'd definitely like to give it a go.

4. Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue - I'm very guilty of neglecting my feet, so I do really need a product targeted at my feet rather than just using a body butter on them. I've previously used Soap & Glory's Heel Genius which I quite liked. I've heard good things about this product, so I'm curious to know whether it delivers good results. Since summer is only a couple of months off, I really need to get my feet into shape before the sandals come out.

5. Vitamin E Hydrating Toner - I used to use the Clinique Clarifying Lotion as part of the 3-Step routine, I've never really tried any other toner. I know Clinique don't ever use the word toner for their Clarifying Lotion, but it's used at the same point in a skincare routine so I see them as being the same thing. The Clarifying Lotion isn't cheap, so I'm curious to see how a cheaper product will fare.

I'm also open to recommendations - what are your favourite TBS products?

Kate x

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Mini Drugstore Haul

Australia is known for being quite expensive, and now being a traveller I'm trying to keep my spending under control, which is insanely difficult at times. While in Australia I have 'splashed out' on a couple of higher end products when my skin has been in need. Typically, they are all running out at the same time. Priceline (Australia's equivalent to Boots or Superdrug) occasionally have brilliant offers on and a couple of weeks ago they had 40% off all skincare so I made sure I got to a store to take advantage of the offer.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo $27.99/£15.50 - I heard good things about this before I left the UK but my skin was never bad enough for me to consider buying it. While I was in Melbourne during the summer my skin took a turn for the worse and I was trying everything I could think of to bring it under control, including buying this. I noticed an improvement after starting to use this, but I wouldn't say it was a miracle product but I do think it has helped which is why I'm keeping it in my skincare routine.

Bioderma Créaline Solution Micellaire $29.99 - A cult product among beauty bloggers, I was looking through Priceline a little over six months ago and discovered that a whole range of Bioderma products are available to buy, compared to the UK where Bioderma was only just beginning to be available in select pharmacies before I left (if it's now available in Superdrug/Boots please let me know!). I was never bothered enough to want to order on eBay or ask a friend to buy me a bottle on their holidays in France. However, seeing as it was so easily available here I figured it was worth a try. It does a good job at removing my eye make up without making the skin around my eyes sore - something that countless other make up removers have done. I will be honest though, when I'm back in the UK I'm not so sure I will go to the great lengths to get a bottle of this, I got on quite well with the B. Pure Micellar Water which is less than £5 and very easy to get hold of.

Hydraluron Moisture Booster $34.99/£24.99 - A product I used back in the UK as well as over here, when I arrived to Australia last September my skin had a nasty shock - I had gone from hot and humid climates to the cold and windy climate of Springtime Melbourne. My skin dried out very quickly so I knew it was time to buy a tube of this. During the Australian summer I didn't need to use this, but now as we are back into winter it has become a firm staple in my skincare routine again. I don't think I reviewed this while I was back home, but I think the fact I'm repurchasing this speaks wonders. I was very tempted to try out the new Jelly, but seeing as my last tube has lasted me 10 months I think I'm best off sticking to the serum so I can fit it into my backpack.

Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser in Cocoa Glow $9.99/£3.99 - This was a product I have been curious about and I wasn't sure if it was more of a gimmick. I'm quite lazy when it comes to moisturising my body but with this I get just the right amount on my legs and arms, it sinks in quite quickly and smells lovely. The only downside is because it's in a can I don't really know how much I've used, so I'm not sure if this is a product that will go down quite quickly.

So that is my mini 'haul' that should keep me quiet for a while. I've just got to hope they don't do a 40% off make up promotion any time soon...

Kate x

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The prices in AUD are pre-discount.

Beauty Products I Miss

It's now been almost nine months since I left the UK to go travelling. When I was packing, I aimed to keep my make-up and skin care to a minimum as I was in Asia first and I didn't think I'd wear much. 

To be honest, I never really thought about what I would need once I'd left Asia, and arrived in Australia. For four months I was working in an office and essentially having a regular routine. Having not taken the time to think ahead to what I would want for Australia, it left me wishing I had certain products with me.

So what are those products? It's a mixture of skincare and make up, especially certain brands I can't get over here.

Una Brennan Tea Flower Superfacialist Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask
This is quite possibly the product I miss the most. I was always a firm fan of Origins Clear Improvements mask until I tried this. This works so well with my skin. Whenever I could feel a breakout coming on, it would really help my skin and minimise the breakout or clear it up completely. I come from a hard water area in the UK, but over here in Melbourne the water is incredibly soft. Despite being here for almost five months now I don't think my skin has gotten used to it. As a result my skin has been awful. I feel like I'm back to being a teenager again with the spots I've been getting

. 

Urban Decay Naked 1 & Naked 2
I absolutely love these palettes, but decided not to bring either of them with me. A decision I seriously regret. While I was in Malaysia I tried to buy my favourite shade from the Naked palette - Sin, but typically it was  sold out, and I didn't like any of the similar shades. I ended up buying All That Glitters by MAC, but it's just not quite the same. I have been sorely tempted to order either the new Naked 3 palette or the Naked Basics palette to be sent over here, but I'm so torn. 

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream

This is a product that I actually brought out with me, but alas it has run out. I can't find Dr Jart out here and when I was in Asia I couldn't find this formula. I was quite slow on the uptake with this BB cream, but once I bought it I could see why it is so popular. You barely need anything and it rubs in without feeling greasy. I always thought it offered a pretty decent level of coverage too.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush

I only got into the cleansing brush movement within the past year. I really was close to packing this and again, it's something I wish I had. I never got around to review this but I really did feel like there was a difference with my skin, and it certainly felt cleaner. I've been tempted at times to treat myself to a Clarisonic whilst being over here.

Benefit Dallas Box Blusher

Dallas is my absolute favourite boxed blusher by Benefit, but when I came away I decided to bring another of their boxed blushers with me - Coralista which is another of my favourites. After using Coralista almost every day now, I'm getting a little bored and would quite like to have some bronzed-ish cheeks!
I can buy Benefit products out here, but they do feel a little pricey still, but the prices always do sound worse in $!

Are any of these products you can't live without? 

Kate x

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Lush Shampoo Bar in Jumping Juniper

Before coming away travelling, Danny and I looked at ways to reduce the volume of things we were taking, and that included toiletries as neither of us really wanted to take bottles of shampoo with us which are heavy and bulky so we decided on buying a lush shampoo bar each, they are very compact, smaller than many of the bath bombs that they sell and lasting for longer than a bottle of shampoo probably would. 

We both bought jumping juniper (which contains juniperberry oil as well as lemon and lime essential oils) as the lush store we went to didn't stock the one I wanted (can't remember what it was called) the bar itself was £5.50 or $13.95 (AU) and then you can buy a tin to put it in for £2.50 /$4.95. I was a little sceptical to start of with as I am used to my shampoo being in liquid form, but I needn't have been as these have been one of our best travel purchases. They leave our hair clean, and what's more I actually find it easier to rinse out than regular shampoo, I have quite thick hair and some of the places we've stayed in have had very very low shower pressure but with this product I wasn't left trying to rinse my hair for what felt like an hour afterwards. 

The first bar lasted us near enough a month and in this time served as a shower gel when we ran out as well as clothes wash when I needed to hand wash some clothes. It has been so versatile for us and one of the best pre-travelling purchases we made. We're now in Australia and we still have the last bar left - it's still going strong however we have now switched back to liquid shampoo now we're here and are keeping it for our travelling stint around Oz. The only downside is that as this is a solid really it needs to be left open to dry, otherwise we have found the consistency goes a little funny and seems to go down a little quicker.

Next time you're going away for a while or even just using hand luggage, why not give one of these a go? You can also buy a solid conditioner or a 2 in 1 bar!

Kate x

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Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask

I've always been one to try out face masks but I've never quite managed to keep up a regular routine, I'll manage for a couple of weeks, then go a few weeks without using them either through lack of time of an evening or just being too tired. 

My Mum actually gave me the Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask which she received at Christmas as part of her office's Secret Santa but didn't think it was for her. When you squeeze it out, it's a light greyish green colour and has a pretty inoffensive smell. I've taken a leaf out of Vivianna Does Makeup's book and I've started applying face masks with a flat foundation brush as opposed to fingers. 

One thing I like about this mask is that there is no tingling and my face isn't red after using it as I have experienced with a couple of other masks (nothing serious, just looks like I'm quite flushed). My favourite thing about this mask is how quickly it dries - when I'm knackered but have just about enough energy to put a mask on this just helps so much as I think it dries in about half the time of some other clay masks I own. 

The most important thing though - does it work? I believe so, it definitely agrees with my skin. My skin as of late has been very good though I get the occasional breakout, for example when I came back from holiday I had a few spots due to the soft water and I live in a hard water area, after putting the mask on by the following morning I was seeing improvements. Occasionally it will bring spots to the surface, but often I find it just clears them up straight away. 

The Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask retails at £8.99 which I think is an absolute steal and I would thoroughly recommend trying it. I would like to try more Una Brennan products, however seeing as I'm going away soon it isn't worth me buying anything new at the moment.

You can buy Una Brennan products from Boots online or in store. 

Kate x

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Benefit They're Real Mascara Review

Benefit They're Real Mascara is one of those products that was a hit ever since it launched. I even remember getting the Benefit newsletter announcing its release and took it with a pinch of salt. 

I have always heard positive things about this mascara, though admittedly I've never actively googled reviews of it to read as I've never been that tempted by it. However, when finding out a mini version would be available with Elle's May edition for £4.00 I wasn't going to pass up the chance to try it.

I've not used a plastic applicator for quite some time, so it took me a little while to get used to it. I must say I was very impressed with the length this mascara gave me, it looks natural and not at all spidery. By the end of my first day of wearing I could see that it had run slightly which disappointed me a little but it wasn't the end of the world.

It was only when I went to work with this on that I was truly disappointed with this product, not even 3 hours at work and I looked like I'd been crying my eyes out it had run so significantly. It left me conscious for the rest of the day. It gets quite warm in the office so I assume this was the cause of it so now this mascara is reserved solely for weekends. 

Considering that in just over a month I'll be going travelling around Asia and then moving on to Australia I don't think this will be a product that will make my 'minimal' make up bag - if it runs in a warm office, I dread to think what I'll look like in hot and humid countries.

I can definitely see why people love this mascara because I do like how my eyelashes look with this on, but it's not enough for me to put up with the running I'm afraid and considering a full size tube of this costs more than my current favourite, it wouldn't be logical for me to purchase this. 

Has anybody else had problems with running with this mascara?

Kate x

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Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang

When I first caught drift of the buzz of Rimmel Apocalips I was very intrigued, and then when people started tweeting and instagramming photos of their new purchases I decided I had to try them, especially after reading a review of a higher end similar product.

I decided to go for the boldest colours, and I am a fan of a red lip (although I don't sport it enough) and so the shade Big Bang jumped into my basket.

The colour payoff for this is amazing, and even once the gloss has faded there is still vibrant red on your lips, I wore this one Saturday and I think I only needed to touch it up once in the afternoon. 

This product is long lasting, but I will say that after extended time it is a little prone to bleeding (nothing serious, you can only spot it when you're actually standing up close and personal infront of a mirror) so for that I would assume the best thing to do is to wear lip liner before hand - but I'm too lazy for this.

Like with all bold lip products, you most definitely need to use a mirror to apply this or you're in big trouble. A little can go a long way, so build the colour up and see how you get on.

This can be a little drying, so try a thin layer of lip balm before hand. I'm very lazy when it comes to using lip scrubs so I'm quite fortunate that this doesn't highlight dry patches particularly.

I would most certainly recommend this shade, I also have Apocaliptic which I haven't worn quite as much so I'll do another post on that at some point. After seeing some other posts I like the look of some of the mid pinks, but I don't think, personally, I'll be opting for the nude shade.

What do you think of Apocalips - love/hate/indifferent?

Kate x

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FOTD #4

Sorry about the background!

This was what I was wearing on Sunday at my boyfriends, I was planning on taking photos in the conservatory but I didn't want to get weird looks from his family! I feel self conscious enough taking photos of myself. 

So, what's on my face?

01.  REN Satin Perfection BB Cream

02. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

03. Seventeen Miracle Matte Pressed Powder

04. Urban Decay Primer Potion

05. Bootycall from the Naked 2 Palette

06. Benefit They're Real Mascara

07. Barry M Liquid Eyeliner

08. Urban Decay Brow Box in Brown Sugar

09. Carmex Lip Balm

10. Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang

There's a few of the products in that mix that I am still yet to review (many of them are sitting in my drafts), but rest assured the reviews will come. 

Kate x

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MAC Plumful Lipstick

Another MAC Lipstick! I do love them ever so much, I think out of all the lipsticks I own my biggest collection is from MAC, even then my collection isn't even comparable to some bloggers collections I've seen!

My newest addition is Plumful which is one of their Lustre lipsticks. I first had my eye on this lipstick as part of the Year of the Snake collection and was absolutely gutted when it sold out - it was only by chance that I noticed it was also part of the main collection at a slightly cheaper price. 

This looks quite dark at first glance but owing to the fact that it has a Lustre finish it comes out a little bit sheer and is nowhere near as dark as it looks in the below photo. On application it looks quite pinky. 

This is quite a moisturising lipstick and I haven't had any issues with it being drying. I'm really glad I bought this shade, I think the fact that it's a relatively 'subtle' wash of colour on my lips (compared to  the Amplified lipsticks at least) makes it a good colour for everyday - especially for Spring/Summer.

I really probably should be buying anymore MAC lipsticks for a while, but I'll be honest in saying there are a couple of brighter shades I have my eye on, notably Chatterbox and Impassioned. 

While MAC Lipsticks aren't the cheapest around I absolutely adore them, the vast range of colours that they have always makes it difficult to pick just one. 

What do you think of this shade? Are there any MAC Lipsticks you currently have your eyes on?

Kate x

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Current Favourites #1

So I thought I'd post a photo of the current makeup I'm reaching for the most! With the weather warming up this is the first time in a while that what I wear on my eyes, lips and cheeks has changed. 

MAC Strobe Cream - This little sample came in a MAC order I placed a little while ago, I had to look up what this was as I initially thought it was a primer or something along those lines. It can be used under a base but I've been mixing it in with my BB cream at the weekends to give me a bit of a sheer dewy glow. I have used it with foundation too but currently I'm favouring the BB!

Garnier BB Cream - At the moment I'm reaching for my BB cream more as it makes for quicker application. If I'm honest I'm a little bored of this now and I'm looking to try a new one - Dr. Jart Water Fuse I'm looking at you - but I refuse to buy a new one before using this up.

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Always has to be used under eyeshadows, especially when I'm at work as my face becomes an oily mess by the end of the day.

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze - I wasn't THAT keen on this when I bought it, but after beginning to favour a bronze colour in the Naked 2 palette I knew it was a good thing I bought this. I am very impressed with it - the office at work can get very hot and stuffy and a good 13-14 hours after applying this it still hasn't creased.

Seventeen 16 Hour Matte Pressed Powder - I can't not have powder in my life and I decided to swap it up a little bit and buy this instead of the usual Rimmel Stay Matte. In all honesty I'm so glad I bought this, I prefer it so much more! I actually think the first compact of this I bought was my first Seventeen purchase.

Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara - I love this stuff. End of. Although it is beginning to flake a little which is a no no. Not too sure why that is since I've been using this almost exclusively for two years. 

Clinique Aglow Blushing Blush Powder Blush  - Even though the name is such a mouthful I really like this blusher, it's got quite a high sheen with a nice coral/peach colour. 

Benefit Hoola Powder - I'm not a big user of bronzer but I do like Hoola powder (although it probably is a little dark for my skin) I use this all over just to take away my paleness a little bit.

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait - I am so glad I bought this shade last year, it has such a gorgeous golden tint which I think goes really well with the Clinique blush.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Whoppin' Watermelon - I got this in March's Clinique Bonus Time (I love bonus time!) and only tried it out recently, it's slightly more pigmented than my other two Chubby Sticks and comes out to a fairly light pink. 

So there we have it, my current favourites! I'm going to try and mix up my make up a little more rather than being stuck in the same routine, so hopefully you'll see a few more of these posts!

Kate x

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NOTD Essie Luxedo

I've been holding off on nail polish purchases of late, as I feel that my nail polish collection is a bit too big currently. However, when in front of an Essie stand in Boots I'm not going to say no. So the latest colour to my collection is Essie Luxedo, a gorgeous dark purple - so dark that you can be forgiven for thinking it was black.

We are officially in Spring now, I should be looking to brighter colours (think Essie Mint Candy Apple) but considering many of us were still wearing thermals and there was still snow on the ground a few weeks ago I think we can all still get away with darker colours. Personally, I think colours this dark (especially as it looks black) can be pulled off all year round.

As usual, this lasts quite a while. I've found this chips much less than other polishes. However I will say that in my opinion this chips more quickly than my Bahama Mama and Fancy Pants polishes. I'm not too sure what could be the reason.

Essie nail polishes retail for £8.99 and can be found online or in selected Boots stores.

What colours are you all wearing on your nails at the moment?

Kate x

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April Wishlist

Happy Easter everybody! 

So payday has been and my bank account looks a little healthier (although I doubt this will last for long) so now is the time for me to start lusting after products again. So what is on April's wishlist?

01. Soap & Glory Endless Glove Moisture Mask and Hand Cream - I'm forever buying hand creams and feel very lost without one in my bag. I spotted this on the Boots website last week and I love the idea of this doubling as a hand mask - perfect for night time.
02. Lonely Planet South East Asia on a Shoestring - The first leg of our travels this summer will be starting in Thailand, with the plan to visit Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia as well. Despite doing lots of online research, I've decided to buy this as something to read in my spare time, and it's quite nice to have all information in one place.

03. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette - I've tried my hardest to resist this latest palette, and I've failed. I love the idea of having a small palette of everyday colours that can also create a night time smoky look. It looks very travel friendly.
04. American Apparel Black Disco Pants - At the end of January I bought some disco pants at a more affordable price than the £70 that AA are asking for. I absolutely loved them, but two weeks ago I had a nasty accident. I looked down in a crowded Pizza Express only to see that they'd split in the crotch and that my underwear was clearly visible. Cue a frantic look round shops for a replacement pair of trousers while discretely carrying my bag infront of me to conceal my mortification. I have since sent them back and been refunded but find myself missing my shiny trousers.
05. Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB Cream - The only BB cream that I've only used regularly is the one from Garnier, but after having a couple of issues in recent weeks I've decided once my current tube runs out I'd like to try something new. I've heard only positive things about this BB cream so I have my eye on this one. I regret not buying it when it was ridiculously reduced in Boots last year.
06. Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid - I have one of Lanolips Coloured Lip Ointments which I rather enjoy, and after reading a glowing review from Sophia over on Tattooed Tealady I'm itching to try this although the thought of spending near enough £10 on a lip balm makes me a little reluctant, but I've been assured this will last me a long time.

Do you own any of these products? Would you recommend them?

Kate x

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MAC Archie's Girls Prom Princess Blush

When I first heard about the soon-to-launch Archie's Girls collection from MAC I wasn't overly bothered. MACs limited edition collections usually just pass over my head (with the exception of a lipstick from the Wonderwoman collection which was launched a couple of years ago, unfortunately I failed to get one)

This time I slowly started to look through the collection on Selfridges website when they had the exclusive. Despite liking many of the shades of lipstick from the Archies Girls collection, I decided that the one product I liked the most from the entire collection was this blusher called Prom Princess which is from the Veronica side of the collection.

I decided to be brave with the bright pink and after googling for swatches I found it looked rather lovely on Temptalia. Pink blush is generally quite a foreign shade for me (aside from the Topshop Cream Blush) and the main pink shade I've used is Benefit's Dandelion Powder which is considerably lighter. 

With Prom Princess it is a very bold colour as you can see from the photos with an extremely high colour pay off - when applying you need a very light hand otherwise it will be far too strong, especially on my pale skin. I think this will really look good on tanned skin (come on summer!)

The colour lasts quite well, it may be a touch patchy after a day at work but I do touch my face a fair bit throughout the day, so it's to be expected.

Overall, I'm glad I went for this blusher (I did have a few doubts to start off with) and I would certainly try another blusher from MAC - there's a couple of shades I already have my eyes on.

I'm sorry I've left it so late to write this review as I can see that this is now sold out, but I couldn't not review it. I'm sure some MAC counters may still have this in stock, and if so this retails for £19.00.

Kate x

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FOTD #3

I'm beginning to get into the swing of these FOTD's, and today I have absolutely no inclination to go out into the snow and cold apart from perhaps a little wander later. Today is well and truly a lazy day, although it did start off badly - the shower went cold and just before that a bottle of conditioner fell off the shelf in the shower and hit me right in the mouth, so I'm currently sporting a bit of a fat lip (though luckily it isn't visible in this photo!)

So what am I wearing today?

Face

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
YSL Touche Eclat Foundation in BR30
Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in 02 Light
MUA Pressed Powder in Shade 2

Eyes

Bootycall from Naked 2 Palette
Clinique Lash Building Primer
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara Black
UD Primer Potion
Clinique Quickliner for Eyes

Brows

UD Brow Box in Brown Sugar

Cheeks

MAC Archie's Girls Prom Princess Blush (Veronica)

Lips

MAC Lustre Lipstick in Plumful

What are you wearing today? Do you wear any of these products on a regular basis?

Kate x

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Hask Argan Oil Healing Shine Hair Treatment Review

Ever since I received a sample of Osmo Berber Hair Oil in my May's Glossybox, I've loved the idea of them but I've never really felt like I could justify the cost of some of the ones on the market.

Back in November I stumbled across some small bottles of Argan Oil in Primark, of all places. Not one to shy away from what Primark has to offer in the beauty world I decided to add it to my basket. I did wonder whether it would be cheap nasty stuff but after putting it to the test I'm fairly impressed.

Of a morning I don't always have time to use conditioner (sleep is sometimes more appealing) when washing my hair which usually leads to knotted and static hair, which is something that is really irritating especially when driving - I don't know why but it is. I've found with this that it really helps to compensate for lack of conditioner and also leaves my hair fairly soft for the day, not to mention a definite reduction in static.

I definitely agree that hair oils can reduce drying time and this is no exception, another reason why I like it. Hair drying is such a chore to me, I really hate it so anything that will reduce the time I have to spend doing this laborious task is a winner in my eyes.

This oil itself is a burnt orange colour when poured out, and only a small blob is required. It also has a slightly odd yet inoffensive scent. One of these bottles lasts approximately 2-3 weeks depending on how generous you are when pouring into your hand.

Admittedly you can get a branded bottle from a Supermarket/Drugstore for about £10 such as L'Oreal Elvive's Extraordinary Oil but I've never quite wanted to hand my money over for it.

One day I'd love to try Ojon's Rare Blend Hair Oil but with a price tag pushing £30 I'm not so sure I can really justify it while trying to save money! I also think these would make great travel tubes especially if you do have one of the bigger glass bottles, that can definitely be a pain when flying - weight limit etc.

This 18ml bottle of Argan Oil is £2.50 and can be found in Primark at the till points (though they may also be elsewhere but not that I've personally seen). 

Kate x

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Clinique Chubby Stick in Mighty Mimosa

When I first found out about Clinique Chubby Sticks I became quite obsessed. Super Strawberry was my first purchase back in June (review here) and back in December I acquired a new one! This time in the shade Mighty Mimosa which was one of the shades I'd wanted to try from the beginning (the other was Curvy Candy). It is a sheer peachy pink and is a brilliant everyday colour - especially perfect for summer. Because it's so subtle I will often use this instead instead of lip balm at work.

This certainly isn't an intense colour, it's a nice subtle wash of colour, which given the fact it is a balm rather than a lipstick is to be expected. Colour is build-able with this, the photo above is with a fairly generous application. I would definitely say if you're buying a Chubby stick don't expect a bold lip - unless perhaps you've bought the Intense range (personally I've not tried it).

I really love Chubby Sticks, I've recently received a mini one in my Clinique Bonus Time kit (love Bonus Time!) which I'm looking forward to trying. I know Revlon do a very affordable dupe which I have tried but unfortunately for my purse I prefer the 'real' thing so to speak. I find it to be far more moisturising and I also prefer the scent. I've even gotten my Mum onto them. 

Clinique's Chubby Sticks retail for £16.00 and can be purchased online or at a Clinique counter nationwide.

Kate x

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