Empties/ Products I'm Chucking Out #8

It has been almost a year and a half since my last empties post. I have only been accumulating these empties for the last month-two months, as I had stopped collecting my empties.

Covergirl Advanced Radiance Pressed Powder in 105 Ivory

I adore this powder. It works really well on my dry skin. I have already repurchased it, and I think I have found my holy grail drugstore powder. 

MAC Studio Fix Powder in N3

It has taken me about three (or maybe four) years to use this powder up. When I first purchased it, I liked it, but as time has gone on my skin has gotten dryer and this powder really emphasised my dryness. Towards the end, I was just using this powder on my chin where I have a bit of scarring and pimples to cover it up, as this powder has got a lot of coverage. I would recommend this powder for people with oily skin, but not dry skin. 

bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation in Fairly Light N10 

I actually really loved this foundation. I have dry skin, but it did not emphasise my dryness whatsoever. I got this in a set of bareMineral goodies, so I also got the matte version, which I didn't like as much. I ended up purchasing the pressed version of this foundation, and unfortunately it does not perform as good as the loose, as it really emphasises my dryness. I probably would repurchase this as the undertone was fabulous, matched me pretty well, and did not dry my skin out whatsoever. The only downside is it is very messy because it is loose. 

Ben Nye Neutral Set Colourless Powder

I adore this powder. Last year at IMATS, I repurchased two bottles of this powder, and will repurchase two more this year at IMATS. I use this daily to set my undereye concealer, and I have minimal creasing with this product. 

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
This is my holy grail concealer for under the eye. A couple of weeks ago I Back To MAC'd five empty bottles, and I'm almost done with another one of these. This will always be a repurchase for me.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer
I actually quite enjoyed this primer. It reminded me a lot of the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer, which I also enjoy (and have repurchased over and over). I would repurchase this, but only when it is on sale (or at Chemist Warehouse where I initially purchased it - makeup is always discounted there).  I don't think this product is a great pore eraser (it has a silicone feeling, but doesn't fill in pores all too well), but large pores aren't a skin issue that I experience.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (x2)
The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind is a primer I have repurchased over and over. It is the one I use in my freelance kit, and it works great on my skin as well. It is great at smoothing and slightly hydrating my skin.

NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray 
This is another holy grail in my collection. I have one sitting in my freelance kit, and one sitting on my vanity. Always a repurchase (and can we talk about how great it is that NYX is now stocked in Priceline???)

Urban Decay b6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray 
This spray was okay. I didn't notice too much when I used this verse when I didn't use it. This product claims to be redness reducing, pore minimising, and oil absorbing. Redness is my only real skin concern out of the three, and I don't think this spray made much of a difference. However, this spray was nice as a pre-makeup treatment and it was a hydrating spray.

Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara (x2)

This is my holy grail brow gel. I go through this brow gel quite consistently, and whenever I see it in the shelf at Priceline or Target, I tend to pick it up as a back up. When the product starts to change colour and the tube is getting a bit empty, that's when I tend to chuck it and grab a new one. 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I love this mascara. I'm currently using a deluxe sample size of this mascara that's almost done as well, and I have a back up deluxe sample waiting to be used. I do find this mascara tends to dry out quickly, so I prefer going for the deluxe sample size as opposed to the full size (there was a point where at Mecca you could purchase the deluxe sample size). 

Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara

This mascara was in my freelance kit, and I never used the wand so can't comment on that (my only comment is the wand is actually huge), but this mascara has a good waterproof formula. I did use it on myself a few times (with a disposable wand), and I found the formula good.  I would repurchase this mascara for my freelance kit. 

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara 

This is a deluxe sized sample that I picked up on sale at the Sydney Domestic Terminal earlier this year. I wasn't expecting much from this mascara, but I actually love it. I have quite a few unopened mascaras and I'm trying to keep my unopened mascara collection to a minimal, but I would consider repurchasing this mascara in the future.  

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb EDP

I'm sure this perfume has been in my empties before. This is my holy grail perfume. I go through a bottle a year roughly, and will always repurchase. I abolsutely adore this scent. If you've never smelt Flowerbomb and are a fan of floral scents, make it a point to smell this perfume, and thank me later. 

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick 

This is the first MAC lipstick I have used up. Last year, MAC Velvet Teddy was on my lips about 80% of the time. I have repurchased this lipstick, but tend to lean more towards Whirl. I think when the warmer months come around, I will reach for Velvet Teddy more as it is a lighter shade compared with Whirl. 

Blistex Click Cool Spearmint Lip Balm 

Years ago, I used a peppermint lip balm and it was the most soothing, wonderful lip balm. I saw this in Chemist Warehouse a while ago (it was in a duo with a peach scented lip balm as well), and put it in my basket without a second thought. I loved this lip balm, and would repurchase if I saw it in stores again. Mint lip balms are so refreshing. 

Target Essentials Cosmetic Pads

I actually really enjoyed these cotton pads. Next time I'm in Target, I'll pick up another pack. 

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads 

I tend to pick these up every time I'm in Kmart. They're cheap, and they do the job ok. 

Woolworths Select Make Up Pads

I don't really remember these cotton pads all too well, so I'd say they're about average. Probably would only repurchase if I was in need of cotton pads and in Woolworths. 

Swisspers Naturals Green Tea Calming Facial Cleansing Wipes

I don't use face wipes every day, but when I do, these are one of my favourites to use. They are gentle on my sensitive skin and do a good job at removing makeup. Most importantly, these face wipes don't dry my skin out. 

The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask

I love this mask from the Body Shop. It is a great leave on, overnight mask, and very moisturising. Last year when my Dad was sick and the chemo was drying out his skin, I purchased him a few of the products from the Vitamin E line from the Body Shop, and they worked well for him too. If you have dry skin, or dehydrated skin, I would recommend checking this out at the Body Shop. 

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Unfortunately this oil made me break out. Towards the end (once I had figured out it was the oil breaking me out), I used it in my hair only. I wouldn't repurchase this product as I prefer other oils in my hair, but I'm happy I was able to use the product up (and that I only purchased a small travel size as opposed to the full size)

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I love this micellar water. I use this to remove makeup (I tend to use a cleansing oil first, and then go over with the micellar water). This is fine to remove light makeup, but not great for heavy makeup. I also use this to remove swatches on my arm. This bottle has lasted me well over 6 months, and when I purchased this (it was from the Priceline 40% off skin care sale a while ago), I did purchase two bottles, and have already started using the second bottle. 

Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge

For a while, I couldn't find this product in Daiso. When I did, I purchased 10 bottles. I have used up more than just this one, but have not kept them. I find this is great for removing makeup from sponges, and also great to break down liquid or cream products on brushes (I find it works better than my usual baby shampoo) when deep cleaning them. If you haven't tried this product, I highly recommend it. I still have a few left, but will definitely repurchase when those are used up. This product is also $2.80, so you really can't go wrong. 

Lush Rose Jam Bubbleroon 

Rose Jam is my favourite scent from Lush. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a few bath bombs from Lush, and had to purchase two of these. I wish Rose Jam was a scent they had year round. Would definitely repurchase this. 

Manicare Mascara Brushes Duo Length & Define 

I either use these mascara wands in my freelance kit, or when I wax mine or my Mum's eyebrows. These are decent, and I would repurchase. I know I can purchase mascara wands cheap on eBay, and I should do that for when I wax brows, but I do like the shape of these wands for when I apply mascara on clients. 

Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe Facial Cleansing Balm 

I think this product was off when I tried to use it. The scent of this was horrible. I'm just chucking it in the bin, don't want to put this near my face again. 

By Terry Baume De Rose 

I enjoyed using this lip balm at night, and the sample ended up lasting about a week. I do have another sample to use up, but this product is quite expensive and I didn't find it revolutionary by any means, so I would not purchase. 

NARS Total Replenishing Eye Cream

This sachet lasted a few uses, and was quite nice. I do need to get into using eye creams again (whoops), but I do prefer the Benefit eye cream I used to use to this one. It was a nice hydrating cream, though. 

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light 

This was basically a one time use sachet of the oil. I used this in my hair to moisturise after washing.

I have quite the collection of samples, and want to work my way through them, so hopefully I have a few more to include in my next empties post!

Thanks for reading,

X

Mecca Beauty Loop Level 3 - 2016

This week I got an email from Mecca saying the "special edition" Beauty Loop Level 3 box was available for collection. About a month ago Mecca had a Beauty Election, where you were able to vote for your favourites products. The products featured in this box are from the Beauty Election.

Generally the boxes come with a card that tells you about the products that are in your box, but a nice feature in this box is you can see all the products that were available in the Level 3 box. Not going to lie, I really was hoping for the Eyeko Skinny Liner. 

And here are the products I received:

bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumising Mascara

This mascara is actually one of my favourites. I'm currently using a deluxe sample I received in a Christmas set, but when that one goes bad I'll definitely reach for this.

NARS Liquid Laguna Bronzer

NARS Laguna Bronzer is actually one of my favourite bronzers in the summer months. I'm not too sure how I feel about liquid bronzers, but it is nice to receive a sample of this (the sample size is 4mL) to try it out. I probably won't reach for this product until the summer months, though. 

Ren V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream

I seem to always end up with a Ren product in my boxes - which isn't a bad thing, as I have quite enjoyed the products I have tried to date. This one will definitely get some use soon as I am nearly out of my night time moisturiser. 

Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Cleansing Oil

I am currently using a cleansing oil from Sephora (which I love), so it would be great to try a different brands cleansing oil, as the Sephora one is currently the only one I have tried. This would be a good travel size, but in all honesty, I don't think I'd bother too much in bringing a cleansing oil with me when I travel.

And those are the products I received in my Beauty Loop Box! What did you receive?

Thanks for reading,

X

Mecca Beauty Loop Box Level 3 - 2016

Last week, I received an email from Mecca advising my Level 3 Beauty Loop box was ready for collection. 4 times a year, Mecca releases these Beauty Boxes and there are three levels, and levels are dependent on the amount you've spent in store and online in the last 12 months. 

The Ren Satin Perfection BB Cream unfortunately is a little too dark for me, but I can try and use it when I have fake tan on. The box also comes with the Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Love. Unfortunately I'm not a big lip gloss fan, so I may just pass this on to a friend. The box also comes with a sample set of the By Terry Liftessence Trio (Global Serum, Daily Cream, Eye Contour). I do wish instead of little sachets the product came in a tiny jar or something, but I am excited to try this product. Lastly, the box came with NARS The Multiple in Orgasm. I do believe this product has appeared in boxes in the past, but I've never received it, so I'm pretty excited about this product. It is a deluxe size, but comes with 4g of product, which is a decent size!

And those are the products I received the first Mecca Beauty Loop Box from 2016! Did you receive Beauty Loop Box 3 with different products?

Thanks for reading,

X

Top 15 of 2015

I feel like 2015 just flew by. It was one of the most challenging years of my life, and I am happy to see it go. So today, I bring you my Top 15 of 2015 - in no particular order.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
This palette is absolutely beautiful. When I do makeup on people, this is the palette I reach for 90% of the time. Marzipan is a beautiful allover lid colour, and Creme Brulee is a stunning gold. I have made a significant dent in Milk Chocolate, which I love to use as a transition shade, and the shimmery highlight, Champagne Truffle is a beautiful shimmery shade (and can even be used as a highlight on the face). If I was to travel, this would be the palette I would take with me. It has the right amount of shimmer and mattes, and all the shadows are beautiful. I highly recommend this palette. I will eventually have a comparison post between the Chocolate Bar Palette and the Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette up on the blog.

MAC Velvet Teddy
This has been my go-to colour for the better half of the year. I have purchased a back up of this, as I am nearly out of mine. It is a medium nude, and looks beautiful on my light skin, but would work on many skin tones. It is a pricey lipstick, but the MAC matte lipsticks are my favourite conventional lipstick, and it lasts for hours on the lips. If I'm wearing a nude lipstick, 80% of the time it is this.

Chi Chi Super CC Cream
This is my favourite base product from this year (and probably all time). The shade is great for my skin tone, and you get a lot of product - the tube comes with 50g! I've had it for quite a few months and will need to purchase a back up shortly. It is light-medium coverage, and if you're able to get this in your shade, I would recommend it. It is hydrating as it is a CC cream, and my dry skin looks fabulous with it. Highly recommend this.

OPI You're Such a Budapest  
This OPI nail polish has been on my nails 50% of the year. It is the most perfect periwinkle purple.

Kit Cosmetics Salted Caramel Candle
I don't currently have this candle, but it is one of my absolute favourite candles. This is the only sweet candle I actually enjoy. Usually, sweet candles are too sickly for me, but this candle smells like heaven. Absolutely adore this candle. When I've burnt through 2 more candles, I will repurchase this.

Lipstick Queen Hello Sailor & Queen Bee
I'm going to group these two together because they are a similar product, just a different shade. Essentially, they are a tinted lip stick, that are super moisturising. In the colder months, these are bomb lip products. My boyfriend also gifted me with Medieval for Christmas, so I will have a review up of it soon. For a review of Hello Sailor, see here.

Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation 
This powder is absolutely heavenly on my face. It isn't the cheapest face powder, but it doesn't dry my skin out at all. It also smells like chocolate, so who can really complain? I would recommend checking out this powder - oily and dry skin alike!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Where has this mascara been all my life???? I don't have the most fabulous lashes. They are short, okay at holding a curl, but nothing amazing. Enter the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I love this mascara. If you haven't tried this mascara out, please, do your self a favour and try it. Your mascara game will change completely. The first time I wore this mascara, my friend asked me if I was wearing falsies. Enough said!

LA Girl Pro Conceal in Classic Ivory
MAC Prolongwear Concealer is still one of my all time favourite undereye concealers, but for the last 2 or so months of 2015, I have really enjoyed this concealer. The shade I have is quite pink in tone and thus amazing at covering dark circles.

Chi Chi Brow Pomade 
I have two shades - Taupe and Dark Brown. When my roots were a lot lighter (I have a belayage blonde happening), Taupe was a good shade, but now that my roots are a lot darker, I find Dark Brown the better option. To see my review of Taupe, please click here. A comparison of the two will be up on the blog shortly.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Trap
In the cooler months, this is the ultimate perfect lip shade. It is a cool toned nude. The formula lasts on your lips for ages, is a little drying, but not too extreme. These products retail for $6US, and they have a heap of shades as well. I have two reviews up of different shades - see review 1 (Trap is mentioned) and review 2.

NARS Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette 
This, of course, is a favourite from the last couple of months of 2015. The highlight shade in this palette is my favourite to put under my eyes. See my review of the palette here. The palette contains a massive Laguna, beautiful blush shades, and a nice contouring and highlighting duo. If you can still pick this up, I would highly recommend it.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP
This perfume was a gift for my 23rd birthday this year. I've never been too interested in Chanel scents, but this scent is so feminine. I've used a quarter of the bottle in five months, so it definitely has been used a lot this past year.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion Plus
This moisturiser has been a favourite for years. It is super moisturising, works well in the summer and winter months, and always leaves my skin feeling hydrated.

ColourPop Blaze Super Shock Shadow
This eyeshadow was part of the Kathleenlights Where the Light Is quad, but can now be purchased individually (I have placed an order with ColourPop and one is on it's way to me). See review of quad here. This is the most perfect bronzey, glittery shadow. Because it is a ColourPop eyeshadow, it is super pigmented and one of my favourite go to bronzes (next to Urban Decay Smog, nothing will ever remove that as my number 1 bronze).

And those are my favourites of 2015!

Happy New Year!

NARS x Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Studio Palette

If there is one thing I completely fall in love with, it is NARS cheek palettes. To be honest, I don't think I'd ever just purchase one blush by itself (they do retail for $42 each at Mecca), but when NARS releases them as a set like this, it definitely intrigues my interest. This palette retails for $100 from Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima, and it is limited edition.

This palette comes with two contour shades, a bronzer, and four blushes.

The first two shades in the palette are from the Contour Blush Duo in Paloma. The highlight shade in this duo is 2.7g, while the contour is 5.5g.  In this palette, there is 3.5 g of product in both the highlight and contour shade. The Paloma Highlight is a pale beige, with a matte finish. I find it works wonderfully as an undereye setting and highlight shade. The two contour and highlight shades are available as part of the permanent NARS collection as a duo, so if only the contour shades interest you in this palette, you would be able to purchase it separately. At Mecca, this retails for $62. I quite enjoy the light highlighting shade for setting under my eyes, and the darker contour works well on my light skin.

The Laguna Bronzer included in this palette is actually larger than the full size you can purchase. The one in this palette is 8.5g, whereas the one you can purchase all year round is 8g. I have purchased this bronzer on it's own - and only have the tiniest bit left, and it is in the other NARS Cheek Palette I purchased a few years ago (with drastic pan), so this is another welcome cheek product included in this palette.

I think NARS blush palettes are my favourite type of palettes. Each pan of blush in this palette has 3.5g worth of product, with a full size NARS blush having 4.8g. This palette comes with four blush shades - two limited edition shades, Robotic and Blasphemy, and two permanent shades, Luster and Dolce Vita. Robotic is a light medium pink, with a cool undertone, with silver flecks. Blasphemy is a medium rosy pink, also with flecks. Luster is a warm toned orange blush with gold shimmer. This blush is honestly gorgeous - it looks amazing on my light complexion. This is the star of the palette for me. Dolce Vita is a medium plum toned blush with gold shimmer.

(L to R: Paloma Highlight, Paloma Contour, Laguna Bronzer, Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster, Dolce Vita)

I really like that this palette has the names of each product on the back - it definitely makes it super easy. The One Night Stand Palette I have from a few years ago (see review here), I only know a few shade names by heart, and the rest I'd have no clue, because the information is not on the back of the palette.

Overall, I think this product is my favourite holiday release of 2015. It's not the cheapest product, but I believe it is great value for money. The packaging is sturdy, with a nice mirror. 2015 has been the year of the blush for me - I've never really been a big blush fan, but this year it definitely has grown on me. I really recommend the sets like this that NARS brings out from time to time. I definitely want to add the mini lipstick set from the Steven Klein Collection to my stash.

Thanks for reading,
X

Mecca Beauty Loop Box Level 3 - 2015

This is the third Beauty Loop Box I have received this year from Mecca. I have finally reached Level 3, which is the highest level from Mecca and therefore there is more value in this box than the other two Levels. See my post from the Level 1 box, earlier this year here, and Level 2, from July/August here.

This box features some nice deluxe sample size products. I am particular excited about the inclusion of the new NARS Audacious Mascara. This is a 3mL deluxe sample and the full size retails for $39. I can't seem to find the Darphin product on the Mecca website, but included is a 4mL bottle of the 8-Flower Nectar Essential Oil Elixir (more detail can be viewed here). On the US website, the 15mL bottle retails for $150US, which means this little bottle is worth $40US! The oil has a nice floral scent, and I'm definitely excited to see what this expensive oil can do for my skin. There is also a deluxe sample of the Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation, which retails on the Mecca website for $80 for a 30mL bottle. In this sample, there is 7.5mL of product, which means it is $20 worth of value. Going off the Mecca website, there only appears to be two shades in this No Foundation Foundation, but I look forward to trying out. The only annoying thing is the packaging does not distinguish if it is No. 1 or No. 2, but from swatching it, my guess is it is No.2. It is a very light formula and I probably could get away with the shade in the summer without fake tanning. 

The Beauty Loop box also includes a deluxe sample of the bareMinerals Make Your Move Marvellous Moxie Lipstick. It is a lovely mid-toned nude, and a great every day colour! I can definitely see myself using this up quite quickly. The full size retails for $26, which isn't too bad for a lipstick, and this shade is currently sold out on the Mecca website which must mean it is a quite popular shade in the line.

I really enjoyed this Beauty Loop Box, and there is some good value in this box.  Of course, I do need to spend over $1200 in a year to be eligible for this Level, but it's nice that Mecca provides these types of boxes 4 times a year. Great to try out some new products this way that you wouldn't necessarily consider picking up. So if you haven't yet, head into your nearest Mecca store and pick up your Beauty Loop Box!

Thanks for reading,

X

NARS Ultimate NARS Lip Pencil Kit - review and swatches

For my birthday, I got a gift voucher to Mecca (one of my favourite stores by far). I went in and decided to pick up the NARS Ultimate NARS Lip Pencil Kit. There were two variations - the one I purchased, which is more neutral, and the NARS True NARS Lip Pencil Kit, which is a red variation. I decided to pick up this one as opposed to the red as it is more wearable for work and will get more use. This retails for $72 at Mecca stores and is limited edition. The set comes with two Satin Lip Pencils and one Velvet Matte. Each product is full-size, which made the purchase of this impressive as each pencil retails for $39 from Mecca.

(The packaging for the lip pencils also has a mirror, which is a great feature)

(L to R: Stourhead, Biscayne Park, Sex Machine)

The set also comes with a sharpener for the lip pencils, which is a great addition. I do find after wearing one of the lip pencils all day and reapplying all day, you will need to sharpen the pencil at the end of the day. 

(L to R: Stourhead, Biscayne Park, Sex Machine)

Stourhead is limited edition to this set, has a Satin finish and is described as a "pale lavender-pink". Biscayne Park also has a Satin finish and is described as a "pink guava". This is a peachy nude and a great everyday colour for my skin tone. Sex Machine is described by NARS as a "must-have mauve" and has a Velvet Matte finish.

The Satin Lip Pencils last great on the lips but after eating I do find they need to be touched up. The Velvet Matte Lip Pencils last even longer. I find both formulations are soft and do not dry out the lips. After this purchase, I know Biscayne Park will always be one of my go-to nudes. 

If this is still available to you, I would recommend picking it up. It is great value for the product, and lets you try out 3 shades and 2 different finishes from NARS.

Thanks for reading,

X

Mecca Beauty Loop Level 2 Box - 2015

This is the second Mecca Beauty Loop box I have received this year (please see post here for the one back in April). I have gone up a Level since the first box I received, and I will probably be at Level 3 by the time the next is released... I only have about $50 to spend before this.

This box comes with two decent sized samples of mascara and lip gloss, a one use sample and a small sample of lip balm.

The samples included are the NARS Orgasm Lip Balm, Chantecaille Faux Clis Mascara, By Terry Baume De Rose Lip Balm and Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser.

(I'm pretty excited about the lip gloss, even though I'm not a huge lip gloss fan!) 

And those are the products I got in the recent Beauty Loop box! If you haven't already picked yours up, head into Mecca or you can add it in your cart online.

Thanks for reading,

X

Mecca Beauty Loop Level 1 Box - 2015

This month, Mecca released the Beauty Loop boxes. Surprisingly, I'm only a Level 1 - which is a surprise to me! I believe the box comes up four times a year, and this box includes 4 samples of products.

The samples included are the By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Ren  Micro Polish Cleanser, and the NARS Light Optimising Primer.

I'm most excited to try the By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder, as it most interests me that this can be used as a skincare product on top of night moisturiser. I used the NARS primer yesterday and today (the sample is good for about 2-3 uses), and it is similar to MAC Strobe Cream in that it reflects light.  It reflects red, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. I might have to purchase this primer, I'm not going to lie. 

And those are the items I got in the Mecca Beauty Loop box!

X

February Favourites

It's my favourite time of the month - monthly favourites. This month, I started working a full time job and I've found myself reaching for products that I know work. The products in this post are relatively day-time, work-friendly products, but I adore them and have been reaching for them on a daily basis.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20
I picked this concealer up in February (see post here) and I absolutely adore it! I have a nice combination of dry under eyes where you can see the lines under my eyes with any concealer but this. The hype around this concealer is true - and if you have been considering purchasing this concealer, I recommend doing so.

Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin
I'm sure I've mentioned this BB Cream before. I have dry skin, and I've tried the original Garnier BB Cream and hated it. I decided to pick this up one day because everyone seemed to love it, and although it is for combo/dry skin I figured it is a BB cream, so it will be moisturising. I was right. I've just repurchased this, and this has been my go-to for face makeup during the week.

MAC Syrup 
Another new product to my collection, and I absolutely adore this lipstick. It is mauve, but because of the lustre finish I find this extremely flattering for work. It is a no-fuss lipstick as well, I can apply it without a mirror if I need to. Absolutely adore this lipstick, and I do want to try out more lustre lipsticks from MAC.

NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray
A repurchase product. They offer this in Dewy and Matte, so a majority is catered for. This sets my makeup in place and I find it to work relatively well in keeping it in place all day. As long as I still have eyebrows by the end of the day, I don't care what the rest of my face looks like.

NARS Laguna Bronzer
I've hit pan on this - and I'm quite proud of myself. In the beginning, I was a bit iffy with this product, but I love it and it blends beautifully, and looks natural. I cannot imagine my everyday makeup routine without this, and although it is included in the One Night Stand Blush Palette (see review here), I will be repurchasing a full size when I run out of this one.

And those are my favourites for February! What have you been loving?

January Favourites

NARS Deep Throat Blush
This blush came in the NARS One Night Stand Palette (see review here). Deep Throat is a peach, and not as shimmery as the other peach in the palette - Orgasm. I've been wearing this blush everyday for the past two weeks, and I love it, especially in the summer.

MAC Pink Plaid Lipstick
I've recently been loving this lipstick in summer, especially topped with a pink gloss (who thought I'd ever say that). I tend to wear this combo when I'm at work, and it's a nice combo for work or the day time. This lipstick is a matte, but the gloss makes it easier to touch up when I'm at work.

OPI Jinx Liquid Sand Nail Polish 
This liquid sand polish is absolutely lovely and screams summer to me! I recently did a review of all the Liquid Sand polishes I own (check out my review here).

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC20 
A repurchase of a favourite foundation in a shade down. This foundation has featured in my favourites a few times, and will always be a repurchase.

Essence Liquid Ink Waterproof Eyeliner 
I can't believe I haven't mentioned this eyeliner before, but I absolutely adore it! It's super black, super waterproof, and stays on until you take it off.

Juicy Couture Peace, Love & Juicy Couture Perfume 
I absolutely adore this perfume. It's such a spring scent, super floral. This is my top 3 favourite perfume, but the one I've been reaching for the most this past month.

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray 
I recently cut my hair pretty short (for me, anyway), and texture is a must. I love this spray to add some texture, and it is so easy to use. This was pretty cheap as well, so if you're looking for a texturising spray, I recommend picking this one up!

The Good News Project 
A new channel that has popped up on Youtube dedicated to delivering good news. Check out Steph here.

And those are my favourites for January! I cannot believe we're already one month down into 2014 - I hope everyone is having a great 2014 so far!
Thanks for reading x

NARS x Guy Bourdin One Night Stand Blush Palette - review and swatches

When I first saw this blush palette pop up allover the beauty community, it was love at first sight - I needed to have it. This is my review of the NARS x Guy Bourdin One Night Stand Blush Palette.  The palette features one highlight shade, four blushes and one bronzer.

Devotee is a highlighting blush. In the pan it looks like a beige, off-white shade. It is a quite shimmery shade, and when blended out you can hardly tell you are wearing a highlight until the sunlight hits your face. This is a lovely highlight shade and a great inclusion in the palette. 

Mistinguette is a matte, bright pink. This is one shade I was quite intimidated with, as only recently have I been getting into blushes. But I love how this looks on the skin, and because it is a matte it isn't too scary to wear for those like me. 

Orgasm is a peachy pink with golden shimmer. This is a cult favourite blush, and looks flattering on my skin tone. Definitely one for the spring and summer. 

Laguna is a brown with golden shimmer. To see my review of this product, click here.

Deep Throat is a peach. It is quite similar to Orgasm, but lacking in the amount of shimmer that Orgasm has. Another blush that would suit in the spring and summer and is not too heavy on the shimmer. 

Goulue is a raspberry pink with a slight shimmer. I absolutely love this blush, and think it will be perfect in the autumn and winter. 

These blushes are pigmented, but also quite buildable - a little goes a long way! They last well on the skin, and if you are after a high end blush, I'd recommend checking out NARS. I'm happy to add this to my collection, and it is perfect for travel. 

That's my review of the NARS One Night Stand Blush Palette. If you can still get your hands on it, I recommend it!