Topshop Makeup Haul

                            Topshop Cream Blush in Head Over Heels  //  Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish  //  Topshop Lips in Beguiled

It wouldn't be a trip into town without a quick browse in Topshop - even if the original intention was just to go to the bank.

It had been a while since I last treated myself to some Topshop makeup, and I was keen to have a look at what was new to the shelves. Needless to say, a quick scan turned into a lengthy peruse, and I came away with these three covetable items.

The cream blush in Head Over Heels had been a long time coming, with it initially gracing my wish list this time last year. At the time, I settled for an equally impressive coral pink shade called Flush, but I could resist this peachy coral any longer.

Beguiled has always struck me as quite a wintry shade, but upon further inspection it became clear that it's more versatile than I'd given it credit for. A light layer gives a pretty matte finish, with the shade itself a wearable berry. I actually picked these up at the beginning of March, and this has been my go to shade as we've transitioned through from winter to spring.

Last into my shopping bag was one of the fairly new cream highlighters in the shade Polish. This is a stunning pearly formula which dresses up any daytime look ready for the evening, and it's safe to say I'm sold. Having gone through a minor obsession with highlighters a few years ago, I'd then fallen out of love in favour of a more natural look. But this one is subtle and beautiful, without being overly glitzy. Love it.

If you're considering any of these then I'll be posting reviews on them soon.

Have you made any Topshop makeup purchases lately? What are your favourite items?

XX

The Weekly Selection

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a good weekend and that there's a bit of sunshine where you are. It's really hot here today so I'm thinking of getting out in the garden with a good book this afternoon and making the most of it before I come back home to the usual British downpours!

This week saw me shunning my favourite summer blushes (Topshop Flush and Mac Peachykeen, if you're wondering), in favour of an old favourite I found lurking at the bottom of my makeup bag - Nars Deep Throat. It's such a gorgeous, natural peachy-pink shade with ever such a hint of shimmer, and while I'm only to pleased to dot on a pop of colour throughout the summer months, sometimes a subtle glow is far more flattering. I'm talking about those days where you wake up looking pale, drawn, and just plain exhausted - those days where a bright blush only serves to add to these effects, but that Deep Throat will always throw me a lifeline and make me look alive again.

Skincare-wise, it's been all about the Elemental Herbology Cell Food Radiance and Vitality Serum*, mainly because it does exactly what it says on the tin. It absorbs into the skin withing mere seconds, and since I've been including this in my daily routine, I've noticed a dramatic difference in the condition of my skin. It looks healthy and even, with a lovely glow, and as a result it has fast become a daily staple.

It's all about the fruity fragrances at this time of year, so I've been spritzing myself with an old favourite, the Nina Ricci Eau de Toilette. It's subtly sweet without being sickly, and the aroma of apples is so fresh and delicious that I'm only too glad to reinstate it as my signature fragrance throughout the summer months.

Last but not least, it would be rude not to pop a bright colour on your lips to celebrate the sunshine, and this week my weapon of choice has been Mac Impassioned. It's a gorgeous bright, fuchsia pink with a hint of coral, and is enough to liven up any natural, undone look.

What products haven't you been able to live without this week?

xx

Review: Topshop Lips in Tease

Aside from Mac, Topshop lipsticks are very much my go-to, as I find them moisturising, highly pigmented and reasonably priced. In fact, some people argue that they are really similar in quality to Mac lipsticks.

Personally, I'm always eager to add to my collection, and had had my eye on several of the gorgeous shades Topshop had in earlier in the year - Brighton Rock, which is a gorgeously vibrant fuchsia pink, and Whimsical, a pretty Spring peach, to name but a couple. But when my birthday rolled around last month, I was disappointed to find that the majority of those were no longer on sale on the Topshop website (typically, they are now back in stock), and determined to add a new shade to my collection, I went for Tease. Now, online it's a little bit difficult to get a real feel for the Topshop lipsticks and how they are going to come out, and unfortunately there were very limited reviews available on this shade by other bloggers, but nonetheless, I decided to give this a go, and was really happy to receive it in a birthday present parcel from my parents.

Tease is not the usual sort of pink I would go for. An expression I've heard batted about to describe similar shades is 'pepto-pink', while the Topshop website describes it as a 'Barbie pink'. It's vibrant yet milky, and is the sort of shade I've always been terrified of wearing, feeling that they look far too harsh against tanned skin, and tend to wash people out if they are very pale.

Personally, I'm currently neither of those, and like to think that I have acquired a healthy degree of colour, without being particularly tanned, so I didn't find that this lipstick clashed with my skin-tone too much, nor blended in. I'll be honest, I'm still a little bit unsure about it, as it's quite a chalky, milky, bubble gum pink and I'm really not finding it very 'me'. I'm not sure whether it doesn't suit me or if I'm just not used to this type of shade.

Texture-wise, this particular is typically moisturising and applies easily, with the typically good level of pigmentation I'd expected. However, I do find that it tends to accentuate any dry areas on the lips, so I'd definitely recommend using a lip scrub and balm prior to application.

Have you tried Tease?

What are your favourite Topshop lipsticks?

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

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

Top Six Winter Lip Products

You may have seen me talking about my top six Winter products in this Youtube video, but as is often the case, I thought I would do a write-up on them for you as well, as I know that videos are not for everyone. Perhaps you don't have the time to watch them, or perhaps you catch up with blog posts on the go and don't have a chance. Or maybe they just aren't your thing. But as blogging has always been my primary means of sharing the products I love (and those I don't!) with you, I thought it would be nice to have a bit of a ramble about them on here, and perhaps say some more sensible things than when I am under the pressure of the webcam! Ha.

Now personally, I love a good, bright lip, so I have been like a moth to a flame when it comes to all the beautiful berries and reds floating around the beauty world this Winter. But equally, I have been enjoying a couple of more pared-down shades for those days where I just want something low maintenance, that I won't have to worry about smudging or fading awkwardly throughout the day in the same way that I would with something bolder (scroll down for more pictures and swatches).

In terms of those brights, my favourite of all has probably been my Mac Lip Pencil in Cherry (review here). I originally bought this with the intent of wearing it underneath a red lipstick, but found that it gave such a beautifully precise, matte lip on it's own that I soon took to going solo. It has a highly pigmented formula and glides on with ease, so there is no dragging or pulling, and it does last pretty well (although as I've mentioned before, nothing stays put for long on my lips).

I've also found myself digging out two Revlon Lip Butters which had been in hibernation for the past couple of months. Cherry Tart is a bright red shade, but the formula is really sheer and moisturising, so you can go for a more subtle look as well as layering it up if you fancy going a bit bolder. Raspberry Pie is a gorgeous vibrant berry shade, and is more pigmented than any of the others I've tried, so it does require a little bit more care and attention on application. Both leave my lips with a slight glossy sheen, and though they don't last long I find them fairly easy to reapply throughout the day, even in a hurry.

I couldn't bring myself to leave all my fuchsias behind in the warmer months, so I have been contnuing to turn to my L'oreal Color Riche Serum in Radiant Rose. Again, this is a fairly moisturising formula, and is fairly pigmented so only requires one coat. I love bright pinks, and this one is a really pretty, wearable shade. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which helps to plump up the lips, and it applies really evenly. I did post about this a fair old while back, so if you fancy having a little look at that then you can find it here.

In the Winter, I don't find there are thatmany nude lipsticks that flatter my skintone, so instead I prefer to go for slightly more muted versions of my favourite brights. My newest favourite in that category is Mac Amplified Creme Lipstick in Craving, described by Mac themselves as 'a burst of plum', but to me more of a dusky, plummy pink. This has become my daily go-to lipstick, as it's such a pretty, wearable shade, and suits me whether I am bright-eyed and bushy-tailed or wanting to hide away.

Last but not least comes my beloved Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. If you watched my video on my Top Ten Hero Products of 2012 (here), or read my Best of 2012 posts (here), you will know how much I have enjoyed using this product, in various shades, and Honey is just the best 'my lips but better' shade I have ever come across. These chunky little crayons are just so convenient for slinging in my handbag and reapplying on the go, and don't even require a mirror. This is such a natural shade and is just what I need for those days where I don't really feel up to anything more high maintenance but still want to look fairly polished and give my lips a wash of healthy colour.

(L-R: L'oreal Color Riche Serum in Radiant Rose, Revlon Lip Butters in Raspberry Pie and Cherry Tart, Mac Lipstick in Craving, Revlon JBK Balm Stain in Honey, Mac Lip Pencil in Cherry).

So there you have it - those are the lip products that I haven't been able to leave home without over the past couple of months. Have you tried any of these? If not, what are your favourite Winter Lip products (aside from lip balms)?

xx

Lipsticks I Can't Live Without!

(L-R) Tracta Hydrating Argan Lipstick in 01, L'oreal Color Riche Serum in Radiant Rose, Topshop Infrared, Mac Amplified in Vegas Volt, Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart, Clinique Ciderberry

I have been going a little bit mad for lipsticks and other lip-related products over the past six months, especially nice bright, zingy shades, and don't seem to be able to stop buying them! There are so many gorgeous options out there, and I'd happily buy up the whole selection in Topshop or Mac without a second thought, if my bank balance was that way inclined (and that full of pennies!)

But despite my recent panic-buying of gorgeous shades and formulas, as always, there are definitely some lip products that I just keep going back to again and again, and I don't seem to be able to find anything to beat them. So I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, my six absolute favourite lipsticks in the world, ever. Ok, so maybe that's a little bit extreme, but I do love them, so I thought I'd share.

I'm not going to do full reviews of all of them in this post, purely because the post would end up being a million miles long and I doubt you'd ever make it to the bottom! But do keep your eyes peeled, as I will be posting separate reviews for some of these very shortly.

Topshop Infrared

First up is Topshop's Infrared, a gorgeous bright orange with a hint of red. This is definitely not one for shrinking violets, and may not be very flattering to the absolute palest of skintones, but aside from this it is actually a very wearable colour, and as an added bonus, makes your teeth look whiter. Win!

I love Topshop lipsticks and find them to be excellent value for money. The formula is fairly moisturising, although with this colour, I do recommend a good exfoliation and a slather of lip balm before you apply, as it will show up any flakey or dry bits you may have. In terms of wear, I'd say it's not that great, and I have to reapply it several times throughout the day. But it's a deliciously bright and juicy colour and looks great with a tan!

Mac Amplified in Vegas Volt

My favourite of the lot. This is a gorgeous bright coral, and any regular readers will know that I absolutely adore a nice bright coral lip. Being an Amplified lipstick, this is really creamy and glides on like a dream. It doesn't cling to any dry bits and is reasonably long-wearing (I've mentioned before though, that no lipsticks I've ever tried seem to have lasted more than about two minutes on me!) It's highly pigmented, but buildable, so you can go for a statement lip by layering it up, or rub one coat in with your fingers for more of a stain effect. This one will take some beating.

Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart

This one is brand new, but has already made it onto my favourites list, which I'm sure many of you Lip Butter lovers will find unsurprising. I'm not going to say too much about this one, as I shall be doing a full review of it over the weekend, but as you can see, it's a lovely shade of cherry red and is so, so wearable. I am completely loving this as a pretty day-time red for summer. I do know it's not, strictly speaking, a lipstick, but that's fine by me - it just had to be included because I can't stop wearing it!

Tracta Hydrating Argan Lipstick in 01 

I picked this little beauty up in Brazil, and surprise surprise, it's another coral. This is actually very similar to Vegas Volt, but is slightly more orange-toned. Again, it's creamy and moisturising, thanks to the Argan oil it contains, and last reasonably well. I also wanted to point out that the packaging of this one makes it feel like quite a luxurious purchase, as it looks quite expensive, but actually, it only cost me about £6.

Clinique High Impact Lip Colour SP15 in Ciderberry

This is a product I have had for an absolute age, but haven't used in a really long time. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it until I moved house recently, and found it while I was packing things away. Clinique lipsticks are actually pretty pricey, at £16, and I don't usually pay that much for lip products. I don't even remember it costing that much really, but a quick browse on Clinique's site has revealed that to be the case!

Ciderberry is a lovely rich deep red. It's a nice alternative to really bright, pillar-box reds and I would imagine it to be more of a wearable shade for all skin-tones. I feel like I am repeating myself here, but I assume you will want to know that yes, again, it is moisturising, and yes, it is also long-lasting - in fact, I'd say that this is the best of the bunch in that respect.

L'oreal Color Riche Serum in Radiant Rose

A stunning medium fuchsia

I have not long reviewed this beauty, so if you would like to know a bit more about it then you can do so by reading this post. I don't want to bore those of you who've already read it by repeating myself again, but I will say that it is just the perfect shade of pink, and looks particularly pretty with really dark hair! When I first bought this, I had just dyed mine a gorgeous deep chocolate colour, which has sadly now faded (but I'm planning on doing it again over the weekend!)

L-R: Clinique Ciderberry, Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart, L'oreal CRS in Radiant Rose, Mac Amplified in Vegas Volt, Tracta 01 and Topshop Infrared

(As above)

I hope you enjoyed reading, and that perhaps I've given you an idea or two if you're on the hunt for a new summer shade, or if you're finding yourself stuck in a bit of a lipstick rut!

What are your favourite lip products this summer? Is there one shade in particular your lips are just too embarrassed to be seen without? I'd love to know, as I am always looking to build up my collection, and sometimes I find I have been missing out on some absolute gems when I see them on you lovelies and read about them in your posts!

Hope everyone is really well and has a fantastic weekend planned! If you don't have anything planned at all, then worry not, as I find that those often tend to end up being the best ones! And who doesn't like a bit of relaxation!?

Enjoy!

xx

What's in My Makeup Bag?

Benefit Erase Paste in no.2 (medium)

Mac Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 in shade NW30

L'oreal Glam Bronze powder in Blonde Harmony

L'oreal Glam Bronze Sun Radiance Trio in Blondes

Mac Mineralise Blush in Gleeful

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes in brown

Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle

Collection (formerly Collection 2000) Lasting Colour Lipstick in Sweet Tart (8)

No.7 Wild Volume Lipstick in Ruby Glow

I have splurged a bit on makeup recently as I was starting to run out of so many products. I'm also the sort of person that gets bored quite easily, so by the time I've finished a foundation, I'll be on the hunt for a new one. Sometimes I do end up going back to the originals, but I really enjoy experimenting in between!

I am really loving lip products at the moment, and have bought so many lipsticks in the last month! I think I've picked up around eleven, but the four I use the most are the two I have included here, along with Topshop Lips in Infrared and Mac Amplified Creme in Vegas Volt, both of which I have talked about in recent posts.

Also LOVING the Benefit Erase Paste concealer. It's ridiculously pricey for such a small pot, but I decided to give it a try after reading about it on Zoella. I suffer from dark circles under my eyes most mornings, but this little gem does exactly what it says on the pot! Well worth the £18.50 I paid for it......it could be a bit cheaper though, couldn't it!?

In other news, my man and I have decided to move house! Our apartment is huge, with three bedrooms and bathrooms, and we were really lucky to find it at such a low price, but unfortunately, the size of it means that it's a nightmare to keep clean! It's also quite old, so we've decided we want to move to a newer and smaller place and make it really nice and homely. Let the house hunting commence!

If you would like to see any reviews of the products currently gracing my makeup bag then please say so in the comments below!

What's in your makeup bag at the moment?

Friday Favourites

I know, I know, it's Saturday! Sorry to be posting this a day late, but things have been really hectic what with Easter and family visiting! Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!

The aim of Friday Favourites is to share, unsurprisingly, a few of my favourite beauty products and fashion items of the moment, so here goes.

MAC Amplified Creme lipstick in Vegas Volt, £13.50

I absolutely love this lipstick and just cannot stop wearing it at the moment! It's a gorgeous, creamy orange-coral and is another great shade for spring/summer. It's buildable, so you can achieve a gorgeous opaque finish, or you can apply a light layer and rub it in to your lips for a more subtle stain.

Love it!

Miss Selfridge Petites floral print playsuit, £37

My favourite Spring purchase so far, this playsuit is a really flattering cut, and I was thrilled to find it in the petites section as I'm a shortie. I usually find it hard to find dresses and playsuits in the right length for me, and most shops only have a very limited selection of items in their Petites range. I love the pastel colours of this one and will be wearing it dressed down with sandals and a skinny tan belt on hot summer days, and styling it up with a cropped blazer, heels and gold jewellery for nights out. If you want to see how I'm wearing it, I will be doing an OOTD post on it by the end of next week (camera permitting. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am currently having some issues with mine).

Miss Sporty Lasting Colour nail varnish in Red Tango,  £1.99, Superdrug

I didn't expect much of this cheap and cheerful nail varnish when I picked it up, at least not in terms of quality, but the bright, zingy colour was irresistible. Can you tell by now that I have a bit of a thing for orange-corals!?

Actually, these little polishes come with a graduated-tip brush, and the curved shape makes it extremely easy to paint your nails. Two coats and you are good to go.

I am also loving the gorgeous, shimmery pastel green shade (second from left), but sadly I don't know the name as it doesn't say on the bottle, and I can't find it anywhere online.

I really like the Miss Sporty colours, but I will say that they are not the most long-wearing of polishes, so are best for a quick fix.

Coral Crepe Shorts, £29, Miss Selfridge

Ok, I think my obsession with coral might be getting slightly out of hand! I didn't actually realise, until I started writing this post, that I had a running theme on the go!

But anyway, I recently picked up these shorts and they are a godsend for holidays as the material is really thin (yet not transparent, so don't worry about VPL!) and floaty, and airy. They are great with a plain white vest, and sandals for a casual daytime look. Day and night outfits post coming soon.

So that's it for the first installment of Friday Favourites! I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I'm loving at the moment.

Do you own, or have you at some point tried any of the items above? 

What did you think of them?

What are your current favourites?

xx