The Weekly Selection

If you saw my review of the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner last week (mine was picked up abroad, hence the different name), then you'll already be aware of how much I've been enjoying this little gem recently. Light enough to use on a daily basis and yet as nourishing as a weekly mask, there's very little not to love about it, and the fact that it does the job in just one minute makes rushing out of the door in the mornings and having to skip breakfast that little bit less likely.

On a similar note, the Garnier Fructis Super 8 Oil (sadly not available in the UK) has been keeping the ends of my hair nourished, shiny and frizz-free. I usually pop some on when my hair is damp, as I find that it just drinks it up, without leaving any hint of an oily residue when dry. It also protects against heat of up to 230C, which helps to ease the guilt of constant straightening and/or curling!

Skincare-wise, this week I've rediscovered the Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion, which smells of oranges and leaves my skin feeling incredibly plump, soft and hydrated. I got this as part of a gift set at Christmas, and after I had finished up all of the other products I moved on to trying other things. Now that I've given it another try though, I've remembered what a godsend this is. If you sleep or work in a room with air conditioning, this really helps to replenish any lost moisture, and works equally well in both overly hot and cold weather conditions.

Makeup-wise, I've been trying out a new mascara, namely the Maybelline One by One. I like how it separates the lashes and puts paid to any nasty clumps, but I do think it's lacking slightly in the lengthening department. In all fairness, it doesn't claim to be anything special in that area, but I think I still prefer the L'oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara, which will be forever repurchased.

As I've been cracking out the red lipsticks again lately after shunning them for some time, I've been in need of something complementary for my cheeks, and the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year has been just the job. It comes out a gorgeous but subtle shade of peachy-golden bronze, so it doesn't overpower or clash in the same way that a pink or coral would. It's such a shame that this was a limited edition product, as I think it's something every girl should have in her makeup collection.

That's it for this week. Have you tried any of these?

 What has been knocking your socks off beauty-wise of late?

xx

New in Beauty Buys

It's been quite a while since I last treated myself to any beauty buys, which is saying a lot for me as I'm usually constantly picking things up here and there. I've been really good at saving my pennies lately, but inevitably there came a time that I was starting to run out of things and needed to restock, and that time was this weekend. We move out of our house today, but won't actually be returning to the UK for another two weeks, so that meant that this was my last chance to get my hands on the bits I needed before we head off to the middle of nowhere to stay with some of my husband's family until we leave.

Now before I start, let me just say that some of the products in the picture are going to have slightly different names to what I'm going to call them, and that is because I bought them in Brazil. Sometimes we get products here that are only available in the US, and sometimes the ones which are on sale in the UK have the American names. I'm going to be referring to them by their UK names so as to avoid confusion.

First off, I decided to treat myself to a new conditioner, in the form of the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner. I've just re-ombred my hair myself , so it goes without saying that the ends are in need of a bit of TLC. This one seems to be nice and luxurious, with 3x the conditioning power of a standard conditioner, but it can be used daily, getting to work in just minute, which I must say is rather handy.

Next up is the Vichy Normaderm Micellar Water for imperfection-prone skin, which I was prompted to buy after realising just how much cleanser I've been getting through of late. I usually rely on my Elemental Herbology Bio-Cellular Super Cleanse to both remove makeup and give my skin a deep-down clean, which inevitably requires a double cleanse, so I'm going to give this micellar a go and see if it helps me to economise.

I was in need of a new mascara, and having been disappointed by my recent purchase of Maybelline's The Falsies, I decided to give their One by One Mascara a go. I like the fact that this is meant to separate the lashes, leaving them clump free, as for me there is nothing worse that a lumpy, spidery look. However, I usually do prefer more lengthening formulations, so we shall have to see.

Unfortunately, the last four products don't seem to be available in the UK, so sorry for being a tease in that respect. I got two Garnier Fructis hair oils, one of which is designed to nourish the hair while the other is a heat protectant and is supposed to be a great styling tool for straightening hair, leaving it silky smooth ( Sleek and Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment, if you're in the U.S.). I also got two Maybelline Hydra Extreme Matte lipsticks in Red Revolution and Forever Red - a girl can never have too many red lipsticks, after all, and I have already purchased and loved several other shades from this range. They are really long-lasting, and not as drying as you might expect from a matte formulation.

And that is all that managed to creep into my shopping bag on this occasion. I'm looking forward to trying them all out this week, and will let you know my thoughts imminently!

Have you made any new beauty purchases recently?

xx

Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Play Peach

I'm usually more of a Mac or Topshop girl when it comes to lipsticks, but a month or two ago I was browsing a bit more locally, in search of the perfect Spring peach lipstick, when I stumbled upon the Maybelline Moisture Extreme Matte Lipstick in the shade Peach Play. Obviously with Maybelline's reasonable prices I didn't hesitate to pick it up, and having already tried and enjoyed one of the normal Moisture Extreme formulations in Sugar Plum (a lovely warm nude) I was intrigued to see how this one would measure up.

From the very first application it was love. Although I'd originally been after more of a pastel, nudey peach, the moment I swiped this on my lips I knew that it would become one of my most reached for lipsticks as we head into Spring and Summer. It's a bright, vibrant peach, quite orange but with a hint of pinky red which makes it far more wearable for those of you with paler skin, or anyone who is a little bit nervous about going for anything too full-on. It's just such a flattering colour and really warms up my face when I have it on. It makes me think of juicy fruit and refreshing summery cocktails,and in my eyes that can only be a good thing!

Wear-wise, it definitely stays put a bit longer than the normal formulation, and was still going strong after I'd had my morning cuppa today. Obviously it does start to fade a bit more if you're a constant water-guzzler like me, but it does so pretty evenly so you're not left with any patchiness. Saying that, being matte it's not the most forgiving when it comes to dry patches on the lips, so a good exfoliation beforehand is definitely in order.

Over all, a really lovely lip colour that's perfect for sunny days, and one that has firmly secured it's place in my makeup bag.

What are your must-haves lip products for Spring?

xx

The Daily Face: Changing it Up

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The Daily Face

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

Mac Pro-Longwear Concealer in NC30

MUA Bronzed Perfection Bronzer

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

MUA Undressed Palette (shades)

L'oreal Volume Million Excess Mascara

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Peach Play

MUA Pro Brow Kit

This has been a favourite look of mine over the past week or so, which came about when I realised that I was a little bit bored of sporting the same neutral eye on a daily basis (from the same palette - shades 3 and 5 - numbers go from left to right).

I decided on doing a subtle gold and bronze smokey eye using shades 6 and 7, and when paired with a peachy-coral lip (my favourite) I found that it really perked up my face and gave me a bit more of a healthy glow.

I really like using the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup as a base, as while it gives a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturiser, it still looks really natural, and blends in seamlessly, eliminating any concerns about lines or tide-marks. It matches my skin perfectly, and with MUA Bronzed Perfection as a contour and dusted lightly across my forehead and nose and blended well, it provides a nice, healthy base.

As I was going for a peach-coral lip, I chose the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year for my cheeks. What I love about this is that with it's peachy-gold hue, it doubles up as both a blush and highlighter, so a small amount dusted across my cheek bones is all that's required.

As I've mentioned before, the MUA Pro Brow Kit is now an every-day staple in my routine, and something I can't live without. It's got everything I need to shape my brows and keep them looking neat and tidy all day (review here).

Mascara-wise, I'm still staying loyal to the L'oreal Volume Million Lashes, although I have now branched out slightly and am giving the Excess Mascara a go. I'm still undecided on which of the two I prefer, so keep an eye out for a comparison post, which will be coming up soon.

You may have noticed that the concealer seems to be a little darker than you'd expect. Well, all will be explained very soon, as I'm also getting ready to write a review on that and will tell you the whole story in that post!

So that's what's on my face today. What's on yours?

Have a lovely day everyone.

xx

Spring Oranges and Corals

I'm definitely the kind of person who begins to feel dismayed when the colder months roll in and I slowly but surely find myself having to put away my corals and oranges and make way for darker Winter hues. It's definitely the dominant family of colours in my makeup collection, from lipsticks to blushes to nail polishes, and now that Spring has technically sprung I've been quick to make the most with a bright pop of colour on my lips.

Today I'm sharing with you my favourite coral and orange lip colours for Spring/Summer, and I've also thrown in a few of my favourite nail polishes, in-keeping with the colour scheme, to boot.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

Already reviewed on my blog here, I rushed out to get this upon it's release last year, and it fast became - even until today - my most-used lip product. It's a gorgeous bright orange which comes in a tinted balm form, meaning it is fairly sheer, but in spite of this it's quite highly pigmented and easy to build for a bolder look.

I just love how moisturising these are, and easy to reapply on the go. The chunky crayons come complete with a metal twisty bit (the right name for this desserts me), making it simple to wind up when your product starts to get a bit low - no sharpening required. 

Topshop Lips in Infrared

Another Lip colour I picked up last year, initially I wasn't sure that this one suited me, finding it a bit too bright against my pale complexion and worrying that it only emphasised my lack of healthy glow. Fast-forward to this year, and it's been on my lips a lot - I think I've got a bit more colour in my cheeks at the moment, and am now finding it really flattering. For me, the shade is really similar to Rendezvous (above), but being a lipstick it's more highly pigmented and is great for those days where you want a really bright pop of colour on your lips.

This one featured in my Lipsticks I Can't Live Without last Summer :)

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Cool Watermelon

Moving on to the more pink-based corals, this one is the brightest of the bunch, and comes across as almost neon in photos. It's such a moisturising shade, which is just what I want in warmer weather - no chalky, heavy lip products for me. The only downside with this one is that wear-time is not great, but it's such a gorgeous colour that I can forgive it.

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Matte in Play Peach

The newest addition to this little selection, this one is now a staple in my makeup routine. It's an orangey-pink coral (not so much of a peach, as the name might suggest) and is such a flattering, easy to wear shade - a good one to go for if you're new to corals and not sure where to start. Being matte, you do need to make sure your lips are well exfoliated before application, but this has a really good wear time and is still going strong after eating and drinking (I don't know about you, but that's a rarity for me). Although it's matte, it's still fairly moisturising and feels quite comfortable on the lips - you can't even tell it's there.

Mac Vegas Volt

And last but definitely not least comes this little beauty, which was actually the first Mac lipstick I ever purchased. It's really similar to Peach Play (above), leaning ever so slightly more orange, and is definitely my favourite formulation. Being an Amplified Creme it's very creamy and moisturising, though it does stay put pretty well. In my eyes, you can't really go wrong with a Mac lipstick, and this is by far my most-loved for Spring and Summer.

Again, you can find this in my Lipsticks I Can't Live Without post from last Summer.

L-R: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous, Topshop Lips in Infrared, Maybelline Moisture Extreme in Cool Watermelon, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Matte in Play Peach, Mac Vegas Volt

The nail polishes photographed are Miss Sporty in shade 326, Revlon Nail Enamel in Make Mine Mango (shade 920) and Essie Risky Business.

Will you be braving corals this Spring/Summer? Or if you're already a fan, what are your favourite shades?

Hope everyone is having a great week so far.

xx

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick: Sugar Plum

I am not usually one for nude lipsticks. Or at least I wasn't, until recently. I have been really enjoying using lovely bright corals and fuchsias throughout the 'summer' months, but I was beginning to get a little bit tired of the maintenance they require throughout the day. I kept seeing people wearing lovely nude lipsticks across the blogosphere, so I decided that now might be the time to give them another try, having been put off by the infamous 'corpse effect' on my last couple of attempts.

I didn't want to splash out a huge amount on a lipstick I might not like, so I went for Maybelline's Moisture Extreme Collagen Lipstick in the shade Sugar Plum. I actually picked this up abroad, hence the name being slightly different on the tube (over there it's called Hydra Extreme).

Sugar Plum is a moisturising pinky-nude shade with a glossy finish. It is not hugely pigmented or buildable, leaving a sheer veil of colour on the lips, and is a really wearable shade. It doesn't seem to create the afore-mentioned corpse effect at all, though the colour doesn't apply all that evenly and may require going over a couple of times, as it is quite slippery.

It's not quite as pink as it appears in the swatch here, but it is a lovely every-day lip colour, especially on those days when you want a 'my-lips-but-better' look, without having to worry about how perfectly you have applied it, as you do with bright shades.

Wear time is really not great here though, I have to admit. The slippery consistency means that it slides of the lips in an instant, and despite the moisturising formula, it will still show up any dry or flakey patches if you haven't exfoliated your lips well beforehand. 

Do you ever wear nude lipsticks?

What's your favourite brand and shade?

xx

NOTD: Maybelline/Colorama with Stars!

Ok, so I know that a lot of my NOTDs feature Brazilian nail polish brands, but that is because I have a LOT of Brazilian nail polishes! I really like them, and they are great value for money. But if you are fed up of them, don't stop reading, because I have made an interesting discovery!

But today, I'm wearing Colorama polish in 'Blue Horizon', which is from their Africa collection,  and after some research, I have discovered that Colorama is actually by Maybelline! It doesn't say so on the Brazilian bottle, but it is indeed the same as the Maybelline Coloramas available in the UK!

 On top of that, I am also wearing Mohda's 'Glitter', which I am absolutely loving because it is full of little silver stars! The only problem is that it's a bit difficult to get them onto the nails, as they tend to stick to the applicator brush!

I've seen another polish that is the same but with little hearts in it, wish I had picked that one up too.

What's on your nails this weekend?

Are you having or going to a Jubilee party?

xx