Mini MAC Lipstick Collection + Swatches

L-R: Till Tomorrow, Warm Me Up, Creme In Your Coffee, Hug Me

To be honest I think MAC lipsticks are over hyped, not as long lasting as others in my collection and over priced...but they are so gorgeous and I love all of the shades that I have, even though they are pretty much all of the same apart from the undertone but that does make them different (don't argue with my logic). 

I have four MAC lipsticks so far and to be honest, unless they come out with an extremely long lasting lipstick, I won't be buying more as just these four total a shocking £64.50...yeah. I have three regular lipsticks (lustre, cremesheen and amplified formulas) and one Pro Longwear Lipcreme. 

Top - Bottom: Hug Me, Creme In Your Coffee, Warm Me Up, Till Tomorrow 

Now onto the shades and the formulas which are a bit of a confusing point, especially if you are new to MAC lipsticks as there are quite a lot of shades and formulas such as lustre, cremesheen, amplified, frost, matte, retro matte, satin, glaze and even more! All I know is that out of the formulas I've tried and what I've heard, the lustre and cremesheen formulas are the most comfortable, smoothest and best for everyday.

MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Till Tomorrow - ★★★★☆, 4/5

This lipstick has a different bullet shape and tube to the regular lipsticks, it's also more expensive! I bought it as I was taken in by the long lasting claims (up to 12 hours apparently) and the gorgeous mauve pink shade. The shade on the lips is more cool toned and mauve compared to the swatch above. It's a pretty, glossy everyday shade, it feels very comfortable to wear and dries down on me to a satin finish. I really need to use this shade more as it's gorgeous and the longevity is pretty good on me but it's not as good as others in my collection such as the heavenly Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita or the NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Bedtime Flirt. One negative about this lipstick is the lid keep popping off so it's not great for travelling with.

MAC Warm Me Up - ★★★☆☆, 3/5

For my second MAC lipstick purchase, I chose Warm Me Up as I was watching a lot of Vivianna Does Makeup and Fleur De Force all of those years back and warmer, peachy shades were staples. Sadly, warmer peachy pinky shades like this one don't really suit my very pale skin with redness so I rarely use this one but it is very pretty, comfortable, creamy and pigmented. Even though the longevity isn't incredible and it does transfer initially but it's great compared to my drugstore alternatives (this is one of my problems with MAC lipsticks as a whole).

MAC Creme In Your Coffee - ★★★★☆, 4/5

My first MAC lipstick and to be honest, as most people are, I was attracted to it by the name! The shade is a very sophisticated 'my lips but like I've been eating blackberries' shade...can I coin that term because I think it's going to be a hit. It's a cremesheen so naturally it's the creaminess feeling of the four although they are all very comfortable. I really need to wear this shade more as it's so pretty but I always seem to be opting for my reliable, everyday super longwearing lipsticks instead.

MAC Hug Me - ★★★★☆, 4/5

Again, back in the day when blogging was pretty much unheard of and youtube was starting it's rise to the dominant superpower it is now, there were certain shades that were a necessity such as Snob, Angel, Saint Germain, Blankety and Hug Me. I'm not a fan of super nude shades so Hug Me was the most 'me' shade and out of all the lipstick shades I have, this one almost complete matches my lip colour but it's a little pinker and glossy. I've now added this one, Till Tomorrow and Creme In Your Coffee to my everyday makeup drawer so hopefully I'll use them and get my moneys worth...hopefully as they weren't cheap.

Have you tried any of these shades? Which MAC lipsticks, if any, do you own? 

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Drugstore Lipstick Collection + Swatches #2

Here is the second part of my drugstore/cheaper lipstick collection - you can check out the first part, here. I never knew I had SO many lipsticks, I may have a problem *don't send help*. Todays post features some niche brands and a few slightly pricier lipsticks. Brands included as Avon, Essence, Duwop, Dainty Doll, Makeup Revolution, Sleek and more. 

My favourite shades: Avon Rose Creme, Kate Moss for Rimmel 19, Makeup Revolution Fusion and Dainty Doll Storm in a Teacup. Most of the shades would be great for spring; I didn't know I had so many pinks! Some of the shades aren't applied as well as I would like but  I did swatch over approx. 60 lipsticks on my lips within two days!

Makeup Revolution make fantastic lipsticks for the price so if you don't know if a colour will suit you then you won't be breaking the bank - they have great shades for fancy dress/halloween too. 

Do you have any of the lipsticks I've swatched? How many lip products do you have?

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Drugstore Lipstick Collection + Swatches #1

Phew, my lips are so sore and stained now! Here are half of the drugstore/cheaper lipsticks I own, the second part should be live soon. I didn't realise how many lipsticks I had...I have lipsticks from Revlon, ELF, Makeup Revolution, Essence, Kiko, Yves Rocher and more! I hope the swatches are useful!

My favourite shades are: Milani Nude Creme, Revlon Lip Butter Pink Truffle, Essence 06 and 07 and the My Little Box lipstick (no shade name). I love the formula of the Revlon, Rimmel, Essence and Kiko lipsticks I've tried and I would definitely recommend them.

For more information on the Makeup Revolution Atomic Lipsticks, click here. You can check out my reviews of the Kiko lipsticks, here.

Do you have any of the lipsticks I've swatched? How many lipsticks do you have?

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High End Lipstick Collection + Swatches

I have a large lipstick collection but they are mainly drugstore lipsticks but I do have a few higher end products from Shu Uemura, ByTerry, Mac, Bare Minerals, Burberry, L'Occitane and Nars! The swatch is on the left and the corresponding lipstick on the right! Mac 'Till Tomorrow' is pinker and lighter than it looks in the tube sadly - actually most of the shades look lighter on my lips than they look in the tube which is really annoying!

All of my higher end lipsticks tend to be nudes, rosy shades and peachy tones although Mac 'creme in your coffee' is the darkest, plum shade I have. My favourite shades from this collection include: Nars 'dolce vita', Mac 'till tomorrow', Shu Uemura BG930 and Burberry Lip Cover No.02 Cameo. The formula and texture of the Burberry lip covers/lip velvets, Nars velvet matte lip pencils and the Shu Uemura lipsticks are gorgeous. 

Do you have any of these shades? Do you like these type of posts? 

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House of Fraser Beauty Offer + Tutorial

It's that time again, the House of Fraser beauty offer has started and I don't know about you but I can't resist money off cosmetics *thanks to my lack of willpower and hence my rather large beauty collection*. The offer began on the 23rd March and it will run until the 3rd April so go, go go!

I was beyond excited when this amazing packaging came from super lovely and generous people at House of Fraser including some of the products that are part of this fantastic offer. Check out the House of Fraser website for the full range of products on offer - some of the items in the offer are newly released including the much raved about Lancome Juicy Shakers (which I definitely want to try!) and Nars Velvet Matte Foundation as well as the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, Lancome Genifique Concentrate, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion+ and the Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate to name just a few. 

Image from House of Fraser

I was lucky enough to receive some of the products included in the offer! I already have the *Lancome Genifique Concentrate and although I don't use it that often, I still love it and the packaging is just gorgeous! 

I also received the *Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion + With Pump (£30, 125ml) which is designed for very dry to combination skin types. While in college I used the Clinique three step skincare range consistently and my skin was great apart from occasional eczema flareups but I can't recommend it enough as it worked well for me at the time and my favourite product was definitely the moisturiser. 

The final skincare product I received is the *Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate (£54, 15ml). I have tried a couple of Clarins skincare products, including the fantastic Pure Melt Cleansing Gel so I'm excited to give this eye cream a go especially as I always hear amazing things about their skincare. 

The next product is something I've wanted to try for years and I'm so happy I now have it - the gorgeous *Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (£38.50) which is just as amazing as all of the reviews and blog posts say it is! I have the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette which is pretty and very spring like but I definitely love the Naked 2 more, it's so wearable and I know I will get SO much use out of it. To see the swatches and palette in action, check out my video at the end of this post! 

Last but not least, the product I was most excited to try, not only because I tried the damn amazing Maestro Glow Foundation a couple of weeks ago but also because it has nothing but rave reviews; I'm talking about the *Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 03 which is the best foundation shade match I have ever found!

Apparently this is Kim Kardashians favourite foundation so naturally I wanted to give it a go and I was not let down. The foundation looks pretty much invisible on the skin, it doesn't highlight dryness and makes my skin look more even, radiant (but not greasy/oily/heavy) and perfected - like a perfecting veil over the skin, it's amazing. The coverage is light/medium, it cover pores and minor blemishes so well and as this shade is yellow toned, it helps cancel out the natural redness of my skin. I love this foundation more than the impressive Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow Foundation!

Now onto my video of closeups of the products, swatches and a makeup tutorial! 

Will you be taking advantage of this offer? Do you own any of these products? What do you think of my makeup look and video?

*affiliate links and gifted

I don't have affiliate accounts anymore and I won't be using any affiliate links in the future (I very very rarely used them anyway) 

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Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipsticks

Makeup Revolution is an inexpensive makeup brand that I have been lucky enough to work with since they started, about two years ago and I cannot rave about their products enough, especially their eyeshadow palettes which are my go to halloween staples and their lipsticks are also fantastic. I was very excited when this package arrived a couple of weeks ago with the new rose gold collection and you know me, I adore rose gold!

I have the full *Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipstick Collection (£3 each) which is definitely made with bloggers in mind as if there is one thing bloggers love it is rose gold and combine that with a lipstick and you're in the money - obviously I'm generalising but look at them *squeals*.

There are five shades in this collection and all but one are so gorgeous and I know I will get a lot of use out of them. Makeup Revolution lipstick formulas are so creamy, pigmented and comfortable on the lips and these are no different. They have a sheen but they aren't very glossy so they don't emphasise dryness which is a big plus for me!

The shade swatches from top to bottom as are follows - keep in mind that the swatches above are a bit brighter than in real life:

- Diamond Life: In the tube, this shade looks like a deep purple with red undertones but when swatched and applied to the lips, it looks a little brighter but not as bright as the swatch above *sorry*. It leaves a shade on the lips that looks like I have been eating lots of blackberries, I love it and it will be perfect for autumn/winter.

- Chauffeur: Now this is my kind of shade, it is a browny nude shade in the tube but on my lips it is more of a cool toned mauve shade that is close to my natural lip colour but less pink. I have been wearing this shade the most and it will be one that most will love!

- Girls Best Friend: This shade is not something I would ever reach for personally as it is an almost neon cool toned barbie pink that does not look right with my skintone. I won't get much use out of this one but that's just because the shade doesn't suit me at all.

- Red Carpet: I do love a good red lipstick but I don't wear them that often as I'm so conscious of it getting on my teeth or smudging but this one is so gorgeous. It is a classic red that I think will suit a lot of people - it isn't nearly as bright as the photo above shows.

- Private Members Club: It is such a shame that winter is almost at an end as this shade is the ultimate winter shade! It looks black in the tube but it is actually a gorgeous deep grape shade - it is very purple but not so dark that it looks black. I love it and surprisingly so does my mum!

Overall, the lipsticks are better than the other Makeup Revolution lipsticks I own as the packaging is more sturdy, the lipstick longevity is better *although not amazing* and the creaminess and comfort is very impressive. I adore the Red Carpet shade as it is so classic and it somehow brightens my complexion and I also love the Chauffeur shade as it a perfect 'my lips but better shade'. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Have you tried anything from Makeup Revolution? What do you think of this rose gold collection? 

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Nailed London Polishes + Spring Wish List

I haven't tried or been impressed by anything really when it comes to polishes for quite a long time although the inner hoarder and nail polisher lover within me always need to try more so I was excited to try a brand new nail polish brand - Nailed London. The brand is exclusive to Feelunique and Harvey Nichols. For swatches check out my Instagram.

The brand is the Made in Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue's own nail polish range which consists of a massive 32 polish shade range featuring unique, chic and fashion forward shade options. The polishes are claimed to have superior longevity *something I am always let down by in 99% of polishes*, luminosity and durability.

I was very kindly sent a few of the shades along with the *Nailed London Glossy Topcoat (£7, 10ml) which I haven't fully tried yet but when I do I will update this post. I have the shades:

- *Nailed London Polish in Booty Call 018 (£7, 10ml): This is not really a shade I would go for but it is a pretty bright barbie pink and I think it would be great for spring/summer.

- *Nailed London Polish in Eye Candy 004 (£7), 10ml): Now this is my kind of shade, I love simple and neutral shades. I love this light dove grey shade and I know I will get a lot of use out of it.

- *Nailed London Polish in Crimson Crazy 009 (£7, 10ml): I do find that the shades I have aren't that unique, I have dupes of all these shades even now in my minimal collection. The shade is a rich deep purple which is perfect for this time of the year.

Overall, I haven't been as initially impressed by any polish for years as I have with these. The opacity and pigmentation are fantastic and I can very easily get away with just one coat. The shine is great as is the very quick and easy application - the formula on application and the brush remind me of the Bourjois One Second polishes but even better; it just takes one single swipe across the nail and it's painted. There is no patchiness with the shades I have and they dry quickly. I haven't tried all three shades long enough to say anything about the 'superior longevity' claim yet but I will update this post when I have tried them for a longer period of time but so far so good. Also I think the price is great! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

Now, the shades are in my opinion perfect spring or winter-spring shades and I have created a spring clothing, accessories and beauty wish list inspired by the nail polish shades - all of the items featured are from Harvey Nichols.

Have you tried any of these polishes? What do you think of the shades? What do you think of my spring wish list? 

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New in @ Debenhams

Debenhams is one of my go to places when it comes to sales, gifts and of course beauty products, especially recently as they have started to stock new products that I cannot seem to find elsewhere and also new brands such as Make Up For Ever as well as exciting brands that I've loved for a while including Burberry, Kiehls, Mac Cosmetics and Too Faced.

Vince Camuto Fiori EDP 

I don't need any excuse to indulge in my favourite hobby...trying out new beauty products but new products always entice me! Vince Camuto is a brand I haven't heard of before but as well as fragrances, they also make gorgeous boots and heels, some of which are in the current sale. The *Vince Camuto Fiori Eau de Parfum (£55, 100ml) has one of the most beautiful fragrance bottles ever, especially as it is rose gold and as you know, bloggers love a bit of rose gold! The notes are as follows: pink grapefruit, white nectarine, iris, freesia, sandalwood and cedarwood.

The perfume is gorgeous, musky and feminine with sweetness; perfect for everyday wear and I know my mum has been looking at buying this fragrance since I received it! It is a hit with everyone who smells it. The longevity is reasonable at about six or seven hours on me. I'd definitely recommend this fragrance, it would be a lovely valentines present or just a treat for yourself. When you are next in Debenhams, give it a sniff. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette

Next up, a couple of new launches for one of my favourite brands, Too Faced. The product designs are very appropriate considering what holiday is coming up soon! I have the Too Faced Semi Sweet Palette which I adore and use so much but their latest one is even cuter. The *Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette (£39) contains 16 eyeshadows shades ranging from mattes to metallics and shimmers. As with the two previous chocolate bar palettes, the eyeshadows themselves are infused with rich cocoa powder *how amazing is that!*.  Here's a breakdown of the shades:

- Almond Truffle: Mink Brown (matte) ★★★★★
- Satin Sheets: Champagne Beige (metallic) ★★★★★
- Sprinkles: Soft Baby Pink (satin - matte looking with micro shimmer) ★★★★☆
- Molasses Chip: Bronze Brown (shimmer) ★★★★★
- Malted: Rich Cocoa Brown (shimmer) ★★★★★

The first row of shade is just gorgeous and besides the soft baby pink shade, they are all so wearable and shades I would reach for time and time again. The matte shade blends just as well as the shimmer and more metallic shades which isn't always the case as matte can tend to be patchy but not in the Too Faced palettes I've tried. The Almond Truffle, Satin Sheets and Molasses Chip shades are my favourites from the first row.

- Cashew Chew: Light Beige (matte) ★★★★★
- Cotton Candy: Bright Candy Pink (metallic) ★★★★☆
- Cafe Au Lait: Silver Taupe (metallic) ★★★★★
- Bordeaux: Red Toned Deep Brown (matte) ★★★★★
- Mocha: Milk Chocolate Brown (matte) ★★★★★
- Blackcurrant: Rich Aubergine Purple (shimmer) ★★★☆☆

The Too Faced shadows on the whole are incredibly buttery, smooth and so easy to blend, however the Blackcurrant shade does have fall down and the shimmer feels chunky - all of the others shades are a dream though. My favourites from this second row have to be: Cashew Chew, Cafe Au Lait and Mocha as they are all so wearable and versatile.

- Dark Truffle: Dark Rich Brown (metallic) ★★★★☆
- Pecan Praline: Beige Grey (matte) ★★★★★
- Totally Fetch: Vivid Electric Pink (metallic) ★★★☆☆ *Means Girls nostalgia moment*
- Earl Grey: Grey Toned Navy (shimmer) ★★★★★
- Divinity: Light Cream (matte) ★★★★★

A couple of slightly disappointing shades on this row as the Dark Truffle shade isn't as buttery and smooth as all of the others and the Totally Fetch shade is too soft and produces fall down - although it looks so pretty with a gorgeous iridescent shimmer. However the Earl Grey shade is all kinds of beautiful and it's quite unique too, I don't think I have a shade like it in my collection. My favourites from the final row of shades: Pecan Praline, Earl Grey and Divinity.

Overall, the palette is incredibly cute, versatile and it would be great for travelling as you have such a great range of shades and finishes to create countless looks. The majority of the shades are a dream to blend, pigmented and buttery smooth although there are a few shades that are a little disappointing, in my opinion. I would recommend this palette, even just for the heavenly chocolate scent and freakin' adorable packaging!

Too Faced Hangover Primer 

Last but not least the *Too Faced Hangover Primer (£27, 40ml), now as with all Too Faced products I am kind of in love with the packaging - it's so cute! The primer contains coconut water, probiotic-based ingredients and skin revivers and best of all for me is that it doesn't contain silicone...yes, that's right, a primer that does not contain silicone. You can probably guess that I am not a fan of silicone primers - they feel so greasy on my skin so this primer is fantastic!

It has a pump dispenser *praise the makeup gods* and it has a light lotion consistency which is such a nice and welcome change to the heavy, greasy silicone primers on the market. It absorbs almost instantly leaving my skin feeling smoother without greasiness so it leaves my skin looking like skin. I find that it does make my makeup last all day and then some, I haven't been as impressed with a primer before. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Here's a short video of the products as well as swatches of all the shades in the palette - sorry for the awful lighting *damn English weather*:

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of the Debenhams beauty section?

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Kiko Cosmic Starlets Collection

Kiko has been one of my favourite inexpensive makeup brands for years and they are one of the few 'highstreet' makeup brands that have regular collections which I love! The christmas collection this year is the Cosmic Starlets collection which is divided into four looks, all of which would be perfect for the festive season and new year, including: The Temptress, The Romantic, The Free Spirit and The Innocent. As well as the looks, of which The Innocent and The Romantic are my favourites, there are also lovely festive gift sets and fragrances.

I was very kindly sent a few products from the christmas collection and I am so impressed with all of the products, as I often am with Kiko makeup and I especially love the festive packaging! For swatches of all the products I have featured in this post, check out the video at the end (sorry the quality isn't great, damn winter weather and dark afternoons #BloggerProblems).

*Kiko Night Sky Eyeshadow Palette (£19.90, Nude to Elegant): I have always been impressed with the Kiko quads I have purchased over the years, so much so that I made up my own custom palette earlier this year and it has appeared in a few favourites posts. Kiko shadows are so buttery smooth, pigmented on the whole and so easy to blend with minimal fall down and these are no exception. The shades in this palette are all cool toned which I don't usually choose as I think warmer toned shadows suit my complexion the most so the Nude to Smokey palette is on my wish list; although sadly both palettes are currently sold out online so I'll have to visit my local store in the Trafford Centre to see if they have it. The palette contains a good range of shades from a light shimmery highlight and matte crease colours to deep smokey and shimmer shades that would be perfect for a smokey eye.

*Kiko Dazzling Highlighter (£6.90, 04 Bright Rose): This was one of the products in the store that I instantly wanted! The shade looks very pink toned in the packaging as the name would suggest but it looks gorgeous and iridescent on the skin. It isn't a subtle highlight as the shimmer is noticeable which isn't for everyone but it catches the light beautifully!

*Kiko Glam Kajal Eyeliner Duo (£7.90, Black): Kiko always seems to be one of the very few brands that always bring out new, innovative and interesting products that usually take other brands of a similar price range much longer to introduce. The eyeliner duo features a soft and creamy kajal eyeliner that is perfect for creating a smokey eye or smokey liner look; the longevity and pigmentation is fantastic! The product also contains a liquid eyeliner too which is very black and pigmented; it would be perfect for travelling.



Overall, I have been so impressed with the majority of the Kiko products I've tried and these are no exception. I would definitely recommend the christmas collection and I think they would make fantastic gifts - I know that I would be happy to receive some Kiko products under the tree!

What do you think of the new Cosmic Starlets collection? Do you have any favourite products from Kiko?

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The Body Shop Christmas Collections

The Body Shop has been a favourite brand of mine since I was a teenager and I love their christmas ranges every year; the Glazed Apple range, which is back again this year, is gorgeous! However the range has expanded to include a selection of beautiful art deco looking makeup for getting your glam on this festive season and new year. The christmas ranges are limited edition and will sell out quickly so if you want something for yourself or someone else then go, go go! 

The christmas eyeshadow palettes/quads are split into two looks, the 'grooving gold' and 'swinging silver' looks. I have the 'grooving gold' palette as well as three other products from the christmas range. *The Body Shop Grooving Gold Palette (£16) features four autumnal shades that would be perfect for so many christmas party looks including a pink rose gold, purple toned mauve, deep rich purple and an almost molten gold shade. All of the shades are shimmery and metallic looking but there isn't a lot of fall down and there is no chunky shimmer.

A very christmasy product is *The Body Shop The Sparkler (£14, Golden Shimmer) which is a shimmer body spray to add flecks of pretty glitter to the skin and oddly it smells nice too! The shimmer won't stick unless you use a body butter before but it would be pretty on the decollete and legs for festive parties. 

The Body Shop have also released christmas nail polishes, I have *The Body Shop Colour Crush Festive Nail Polish in Gold Metal (£5, 10ml). The bottle and shade are both gorgeous and the price is fantastic for the amount you get and the quality. The brush is quite wide which makes application so quick and easy. The polish is crazy pigmented, it covered the black polish I wore underneath it and it isn't very streaky at all unlike most metallic polishes. You could easily wear the gold on it's own as it is so pigmented but it makes a great base for *The Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Sequins in Gold (£7, 10ml) which is SO pretty on an accent nail. The sequins polishes contains large black and gold flecks and smaller gold glitter that looks so unique and it works perfectly with black shades. 

Next up, the body collections, they have three this year including the popular Frosted Cranberry and Glazed Apple ranges but they have released a new range - Frosted Plum which is the range I was most excited to try so I was over the moon to find it in the package! The Frosted Plum range contains plum extract from Turkey and fair-trade babassu oil resulting in a fruity, floral fragrance with notes of plum, peony and magnolia so I think it will go down well with so many people.

Firstly, my favourite product from the Frosted Plum range, *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Feel Good Tin (£17), now I have to be honest and say that my main reason for liking this set so much is that it looks like a giant plum - how cute! The set contains mini sizes of the shower gel, shimmer lotion, body butter and sugar scrub. All of the products smell incredible and it is a great way of trying numerous products from the range. I think it would make a fantastic and unique gift.

I also received a mini size of *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Body Butter (£50ml) which is packaged so cutely and it's very festive. The scent to me is a mixture of candy sweetness, baking and fruity notes as well as floral notes too. It is a very 'Body Shop' scent but it is quite unique and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. This body butter is just as fantastic as all of their others which I have loved for years!

Next up, *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Shimmer Mist (£8.50, 100ml) which is something I wouldn't have picked out but it is SO pretty - as hopefully you as see from the video below. When shaken, the liquid looks like purple and silver molten metals, to me anyway! I thought it would be full of shimmer and very obvious on the skin, as glitter sprays and roll ons from the 90's were but it isn't! The shimmer is so subtle, it just adds small amount of sparkle to the skin which it perfect for the festive season and it doesn't make you look like you have time travelled back to the 90's. It is almost a hybrid between a subtle shimmer mist and a fragranced body spray.

One product that I was most excited to try were *The Body Shop Frosted Plum Bath Fizzers (£12, 300g) as I love baths especially at this time of the year. They smell amazing and I'm SO impressed as the scent is so strong in the water, they fizz for ages and as they fizz they release the scent and clouds of purple turning the bath water into a pretty pastel, milky lavender shade! I think that along with the giant plum set, this is the product I was most impressed by.

Last but not least, the cutest product I was very kindly sent, *The Body Shop Owl Bath Sponge (£4) which is so adorable and it would be a fantastic stocking filler for children! Sadly I forgot to photograph it but you can see it in the video below.

Here's a little video showing all of the products as well as swatches of the palette, sorry for the quality - I had to crank up the exposure as otherwise it would be in darkness (damn english weather!):

Are you going to purchase anything from The Body Shop Christmas collections? What do you think of the products I've featured?

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Makeup Revolution Unicorns Unite Lipsticks

Makeup Revolution has to be one of my favourite brands of the year and last year actually so when these beauties arrived, I was so excited especially as they are all fun and unusual shades which will be just perfect for so many halloween and fancy dress looks! 

The *Makeup Revolution Unicorns Unite Lipsticks (£1 each or buy the full collection for £4) come in the regular Makeup Revolution packaging with the colour indicated on the base of the tube which I think is a fantastic idea! The shades from top to bottom according to my swatches are as follows:

- Legend: Deep metallic faded purple shade which I think would be great as a lipstick or face colour shade for a robot look as it is so metallic and it has a grey undertone. 

- Pink Myth: Bright coral pink with raspberry red undertones, it has a sheen but it isn't glitter or metallic like the others which makes it far more 'normal' and wearable - it would be a gorgeous shade during the summer months. Perfect for a doll look!

- Throne: Similar to Throne but it is lighter and brighter but it still has that gorgeous shimmery metallic finish. It is almost a metallic lavender shade that I think will be great for so many fun halloween looks. 

- Horn of Magic: Bright, electric light turquoise shade that is packed with shimmer and glitter so it would be great for a mermaid look or any kind of aquatic halloween look. This is my favourite from the collection in terms of how unusual it is!

- Magical: Vivid violet with blue undertones, it has an iridescent shimmer to it and it's my favourite shade overall. You do have to build some of the shades up as they can be sheer but if you did want to wear this one sheered out then it looks like a iridescent bruised shade *granted not what you would typically want for everyday but perfect for halloween* 

Overall, I think the price of these lipsticks is just fantastic making them perfect for fancy dress parties or halloween because if you're like me then you don't want to buy expensive products that you are only going to use a few times a year. The lipsticks are so versatile as you can also be used as blush or as face paint accents, for example, I used the blue shade around the exterior of my face for dimension on my cheshire cat look. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Have you tried anything from Makeup Revolution? What do you think of these lipsticks?

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Little Ondine Natural Nail Polishes

As much as I love the look of freshly painted nails, the smell of polish, waiting and the time consuming and noxious process of removing polish always puts me off painting my nails so they look bare, boring and untidy. Little Ondine may be the answer, their polishes are natural, odour free, quick drying and you don't need nail polish remover! 

I was kindly sent three of the *Little Ondine Polishes in the shades  L070 Cherry Blossom (pink), L074 Morning Glory (Blue), L402 Smack  (yellow) and I also received the *Little Ondine LT Base and Top Coat (£7.80). Firstly, I love the packaging, it is simple and cute! The instructions that come with it are great too. 

Cherry Blossom 

This bright petal pink shade is just gorgeous, it looks so summery and fresh on the nails. It is girly and pink but it isn't too barbie pink, in my opinion. The polish has a wide brush which is fantastic as it applies the polish quicker and easier. The formula is relatively thick and gloopy and it takes a bit of practise to get an even opaque coat (it's opaque in two coats). I think I will get the most use out of this shade compared to the others I have. 

Morning Glory 

Another gorgeous shade, such a vibrant minty sky blue that is more pigmented and opaque than the Cherry Blossom shade; it isn't as runny or gloopy as it either. The polishes don't smell of anything when applied or in the bottle which is so strange as I'm used to all polishes having that toxic chemical scent. There is a slight plastic scent when the polish is dry on but it isn't very noticeable at all. 

Smack

Firstly, I hate the name of this polish and to be honest it isn't a shade I would have chosen although it is the most pigmented shade of the three and it is probably the brightest nail polish I own! It is a little patchier than the previous two on my nails but with three coats it is fully opaque and streak free. When dry it is quite matte however with the topcoat it has glossy and shiny finish. 

One thing I was concerned about when I received the polishes is the longevity especially as the polishes are all natural and the main selling and unique point for me about these polishes is that they are all peel off - they don't need remover to get rid of them, you just soak your nails in warm water and peel off. The polish peels off so easily without leaving residue, marks on the nails or dryness; it is so quick and convenient and it makes changing up my polishes fuss free. However I painted my nails and after a hour or so I had a shower as I normally would and on two nails the polish did start to peel of so I had to take it off but the other three nails were fine. When out of the water and humidity the polish was normal and hard again rather than peeling at the tips. 

Overall, I love the natural ethos of the brand and that the polishes are odour free (which is a big positive for me and people around me when I paint my nails). Also I love the wide brush as it makes painting my nails so much easier and quicker even with a slightly gloopy polish and the packaging is so simple and cute. The polish is fast drying and the top/base coat is essential with these polishes. The longevity isn't as good as regular polishes and I think if you had a long shower or bath then it would all peel off but on the whole it's great especially if you like to switch up your polishes often. Also it doesn't stain the nails! Oh and the Little Ondine website has amazing polish swatches - I think this peel of formula will be amazing with glitter shades! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Here's my mini Little Ondine wish list:

Sweet Liquor, Marshmallow, New Year's, Copper Spark and Vegas Baby Vegas

Use the code: TRYME to get £5 off your first order at uk.littleondine.com 

Have you tried any polishes from Little Ondine? What do you think of peel off or natural polishes?

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Dolce + Gabbana Polishes Ft. Direct Cosmetics

L- R: 220, 100, 210

When I was given the opportunity to try out a few products from Direct Cosmetics, I couldn't say no! I have only tried a couple of 'designer' polishes and I have been impressed so I chose three polishes from Dolce and Gabbana. The photographs of the swatches above show the polishes with just one coat. 

Firstly, I have to mention the stunning packaging! The boxes are so chic and luxe as are the polish bottles themselves. The lids have Dolce & Gabbana printed on them as well as a cute floral lace pattern. I think these polishes would make amazing gifts, I know my friends and aunties would love them! 

*Dolce & Gabbana Lace Nail Lacquer - Perfection 220

I chose all three Dolce and Gabbana shades from Direct Cosmetics as they all looked gorgeous and to be honest, who wouldn't want super fancy designer polishes! The shade I tried first was 220 and it is a gorgeous, chic cool toned deep beige, in my opinion. The polish is darker and more cool toned in 'real life' when compared to the college above. This polish is definitely my favourite as it is such a wearable shade, it is easy to apply and it is very pigmented. I can get away with just one coat but two is better and the longevity is pretty good too. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

*Dolce & Gabbana Lace Nail Lacquer - Pink 100

Again, the packaging is just gorgeous and so pretty! The polish is a milky pink shade so I think it would be great as a french manicure polish. The shade is quite sheer with just one coat as you can see from the photographs above but it can be built up however the more coats you add of any polish, the longer it will take to dry and these polishes by no means have the quickest drying formula. This shade would be great if you just wanted a light wash of pink on the nails but nothing over the top or too bright; it would be great for work. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

*Dolce & Gabbana Lace Nail Lacquer - Nude 210

Lastly, a summery apricot shade. As with the Pink 100 shade, this one is quite sheer and needs a couple of coats for a good level of opacity but again it would be nice as a sheer wash of peach/apricot on the nails. As I have ghostly pale skin, I find that this shade looks quite yellow on me but I think on a darker skin tone it would look summery and bright but still on the natural/nude side. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Overall, I love the 220 and 100 shades, they are so wearable and pretty on the nails. All three polishes apply well despite the relatively thin brush and if built up in thin coats they do dry fairly quickly. The longevity is good and as they are more natural shades, when they do chip and wear, it won't be very noticeable. The polishes are currently on sale on Direct Cosmetics are only £9.99 each which I think is a great price for a 'designer' polish. I have my eye on a few other items from Direct Cosmetics now!

Have you tried any polishes from Dolce and Gabbana? Have you purchased from Direct Cosmetics?

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Kiko Clic Palette System + Infinity Eyeshadows

Kiko has been a favourite brand of mine since I discovered them about five years ago while on holiday in Taormina, Sicily - I spent over €40 on kiko makeup and I do believe that the price have gone up very slightly but the products are still inexpensive especially for the quality. I wanted to try their clic system for a while and all of the shades were on sale so I thought it was the right time to make my own palette. 

The Clic System features numerous sizes of palettes which you can choose from including singles, duos, trios, quads then the 9 pan palettes and a massive 24 pan palette - I was so tempted to get the massive palette especially as the palettes and eyeshadows were 40-52% off. I chose the 9 pan palette and obviously 9 eyeshadows for it which was about £26! 

The eyeshadows come individually packaged, they have the shade name on the box and on the back of the eyeshadow - there are two stickers on the back so you can keep one on the eyeshadow pan and then the other can be place onto the inside lid of the palette if you want. The eyeshadows are so easy to remove from their packaging and clicked into place in the palette. 

I picked all natural, neutral shades as those are the ones I use daily and I am so happy with them. The shades are mostly matte, with a few satins and shimmers and the pigmentation is just fantastic. The texture is so buttery smooth with minimal fall out; they also blend so beautifully. They crease on my deep set eyes after almost three hours (with no primer) and my skin as unusually oily the first time I tried them too. I will have to test them fully with my primers.

Here are all of the shades I bought with swatches so hopefully you can see the pigmentation and shades - as the palette is black, my camera has washed out the swatches a bit especially for the lighter shades. 

200: Pure white with micro shimmer - slightly chalky 

236: Metallic slightly bronze champagne - almost wet looking

238: Cool grey (micro shimmer isn't visible on the skin)

215: Warm chocolate brown with golden shimmer - very pigmented

240: Matte cool medium brown with purple undertones 

217: Rich warm matte medium brown - very pigmented, slight fall down

235: Matte burgundy brown 

288: Matte cool toned concrete grey 

295: Matte black - very pigmented 

My favourite shades are 200, 236, 240 and 295 which blend perfectly together. The 217 and 235 shades when swatched are quite similar but when used on the eyes, they are different. I definitely want to get the bigger palette and buy some more lighter shades. My only negative point about this palette/system is the size of the palette itself - it is quite chunky (2cm thick) and fingerprints show up very easily. This competition is open to the general public; for more information follow this link: www.justmylook.co.uk/blog/2015/02/get-featured-on-justmylook-as-blogger-of-the-month/. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Have you purchased any Kiko eyeshadows? What do you think of the shades I chose for my palette?

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Makeup Revolution The One Blush Sticks

Makeup Revolution have been so generous to bloggers, including me, recently! I have been almost overwhelmed by the new releases and the quality of the new products! I was sent the full range of blush sticks, there are eight in total - four of which are matte and the others are shiny/slightly glossy. 

I have all eight of the *Makeup Revolution The One Blush Sticks (£5 each). I love the packaging, it looks so sleek and professional as well as durable and practical. The ply problem I have with the packaging is that the shade name isn't on the tube, it is only on the cardboard packaging! 

There are four matte shades and four glossier shades, all of which can be used on either the cheeks or lips. I used the 'matte malibu' shade in a previous post - my five product face (here). I thought I would like the matte blush sticks more but I have definitely been using the glossier sticks more. Here are the swatches and my thoughts.

I find the matte shades are more pigmented than the others, they are also a little bit cakey on the lips whereas the non-matte shades are less so. They all apply smoothly, they are creamy to touch and they can be worn sheer or more vibrant on the lips or cheeks. I would use them more on the cheeks than lips but it is a great multi-purpose product, in my opinion. 

My favourites shades have to be 'matte malibu', 'rush and 'matte rush' all of which would be gorgeous for the autumn/winter months as they are quite warm, natural shades. My least favourite is the 'matte dream' shade which looks too milky on my skin and I find that it washes me out. 

Overall, I am very impressed with the Makeup Revolution The One Blush Stick, a few bloggers have compared them to the Nars Multiples! I think they are fantastic, especially for the price and I think they will last for a long time. 

Have you tried the Makeup Revolution The One Blush Sticks? If so, what do you think of them? 

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Review: RMK Power Of Love AW14 Collection

RMK is a brand that I have heard a lot of good things about, particularly in terms of skincare and makeup. The only items prior to these that I have tried from RMK includes their cleaning balm which is gorgeous and smells like roses; as well as one of the sheer nail polishes (review here), both products are fantastic so I was so excited when some items from the new RMK Power of Love AW14 collection landed on my doorstep! I received two products from the collection as well as a gorgeous wintry nail polish. 

Firstly, I have the *RMK Matte Shiny Eye Pencil in the shade '02 Navy' (£28) which has a chunky matte eyeshadow pencil on one end and an iridescent shimmery eyeshadow on the other end. I love multi-function, two in one makeup items - they are so handy and great for travel! The pencil is a gorgeous deep navy that applies smoothly, although it isn't as pigmented as I thought it would be - the longevity is fantastic though as it is matte it seems to adhere to the skin really well. The pencil can be worn alone for a everyday look then for the evening the shimmery shadow can be quickly and easily applied on top of the pencil. As you can see from the swatches below, the shimmery shadow makes the navy pencil look incredible! The navy and shimmer together is a stunning combination that will be perfect for the upcoming party season! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

Next up I have the *RMK Ingenious Powder Cheeks in the shade 'EX-04 Orange Gold (£19) which is a gorgeous burnt orange mixed with shimmery copper blush, perfect for autumn/winter! Firstly, the packaging is fantastic, I love the simplistic, no nonsense, clean design. I have been wearing the blush lightly across the apples and back of the cheeks after contouring and it gives a gorgeous radiant glow. The shade just screams autumn and I have actually been using it on my eyes as well, I wouldn't really recommend doing this as you may have a reaction but it doesn't irritate my skin personally. The blusher blends well, it is buttery smooth despite the shimmer and it lasts well on my skin. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Lastly, not from the new collection, I have the *RMK Nail Polish in the shade 'EX-14' (£14) which is a divine cool grey shade with tiny silver shimmery particles that make the polish look glossy and slightly metallic. The bottle is pretty as is the shade on the nails however the polish is quite sheer (as with the previous RMK polish I have tried) which I am not a big fan of. To build up the colour I do have to apply quite a few layers which takes while to dry so I have just been wearing it as a sheer wash of grey on the nails which I like but it is definitely not my favourite polish in my collection. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Overall, I am very happy with the products especially the eye pencil which is limited edition. I definitely have my eye on other products from the collection such as the eyebrow pencils and matte mascaras. 

Have you tried anything from the new RMK Power Of Love collection?  

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