A bewitching new lippie

I have been dying to blog about my new lipstick since I bought it a couple of weeks ago and had hoped I could get some good photos for you to drool over.  Alas, time has been precious these past few weeks and with a busy work schedule it's been difficult to capture the beauty of this wondrous new shade in my collection.

Max Factor Colour Collections lipstick aim to target their colour range at specific skintones, fair, medium or dark.  I chose a medium collection lipstick ... Bewitching Coral.   I have been whipping out the summer brights already in an attempt to bring a bit of sunshine into my dreary, wet and cold days and this is definitely going to be one of my summer staples.

It is a gorgeous bright pinky coral that really illuminates skin.  It definitely suits better with a tan and is very longwearing.  The texture feels wonderfully moist on the lips and glides across my smackers giving a smooth colour blocked finish.

It was so hard to pick up this shade in photos and admittedly these are very bad quality (quick iphone pics).  This 'face of the night' was taken before a night out .... where I teamed Max Factor bewitching coral with a gorgeous The Body Shop sparkle liner in gold.  I applied it on my lower lashline and winged it out under my regular liner.  I think this eyeliner may be a seasonal item only as I can no longer find it on their website.  I hastily applied my make up so it is a bit messy but I really love this look and hope to recreate it again with a little more finesse.

This was one of my first Max Factor purchases in a longtime, the last time I purchased I think it was their Lasting Performance foundation when i was 15!!  I would definitely re-purchase these lippies and for around £7-8 they are quite good value ... plus they are currently on a 3 for 2 offer at Boots :)

Has anyone tried the Max Factor Colour Collection lipsticks?  What's your favourite?

Cherry Sparkle FOTD

I featured this lipstick a while back on the blog but it's one of my favourite reds for creating a glam but wearable red lip.

For this particular look I applied some balm first - think it was just a chapstick from memory - before I applied The Body Shop's Cherry Sparkle (60) lipstick which creates a sheerer and softer lip.

 This was a look I went for on a last minute night out.  My make up was applied in minutes and for the icing on the cake, I  thought Cherry Sparkle would help lift the look and transport it to disco appropriate :)

Foundation was Estee Lauder Double Wear, Illamasqua Blush in unrequited and on the eyes MAC shrrom with MAC charcoal brown in the crease ... plus lashings of mascara and MAC fluidline in black track.

Admittedly, the cherry sparkle does not last as long over a balm but it is gentler on the lips.

At the moment I am running low on mascara options.  Why do all mascaras dry up at the same time eh?  I am looking to try something new whether it be drugstore or high end ... maybe both.

I like thick, black, voluminous lashes and I am notoriously fussy about my mascara but I would love to hear any recommendations you have that I haven't already tried?

x

The best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear...

This Christmas, The Body Shop are looking to bring 'Joy to the World' through singing.

They are on the search to find the most joyous choir in the country to feature in a YouTube Christmas montage which will be released in December.

The competition is open to amateur and professional singers, school choirs or even just groups of 'Glee'ful friends whatever their age, ability or style may be. The winning group will not only feature in the YT film but also receive £200 of The Body Shop products with 5 runner up choirs winning £100 worth of The Body Shop products each.

All you need to do to feature in the montage, simply film your choir/friends/Glee Club singing the carol 'Joy to the World' and send (in mpeg format) to joytotheworld@thebodyshop.com with a contact name, address and phone number of your choir representative. Films should be no longer than 2.5 minutes duration. The contest closes on 29th November so not long left so make sure you get your groups together spreading that Christmas cheer on camera.

You can find more info on the competition T&C's here.

Good Luck!

x

Bright , Bold, Beautiful

This autumn/winter I am loving bright, bold lips.

From Mac Impassioned to Illamasqua intense lipgloss in Indulge to Estee Lauders Extravagant Berry ... bright and/or bold lips is definitely the look I am favouring at the moment.

This is actually a look I favour more for daytime, sticking to my usual smokey eye for nights out. With a bold lip, I do try and keep the eye as clean as possible although I do occasionally smoke it up with neutral shades.

My absolute favourite bright lip of the moment is from The Body Shop. Their colourglide lip colour in Cherry Sparkle (60) is a gorgeous cherry red with hints of orange. It's a sophisticated and fun colour that goes well day or night.

(an old & v blurry photo of me wearing cherry sparkle)

Body shop lippies can sometimes be a bit drying so I try not to wear this too many days on the trot, giving my lips time to recover in between wear.

What are your bright lip faves?

x

My favourite products of the month!

It has been a while since I did a 'favourites' post so here's whats getting the thumbs up from me this past month ...

HAIR

• Bumble & Bumble Creme de Coco Shampoo & Conditioner - I love love love this. Smells great and helps bring the volume and shine back to my lack lustre hair! Result.

FACE

• Estee Lauder Double Wear - Now that I have a little bit of tan to my face I switched from Clinique Anti Blemish to Double wear. I try and resist using double wear daily if I can help it as it gives a full coverage but it's so lovely that I have worn it most days.

LIPS

• Estee Lauder gloss in Nude Rose - I bought this last year before my holidays and it has turned into a bit of a fail safe nude gloss for me. With a scent of fig, it smells as good as it looks!

CHEEKS

• Topshop Neon Rose - This is such a fresh bright colour for the cheeks. It creates a subtle glow that really brightens the face giving an almost luminous glow (not in the radioactive sense. It can be layered easily or applied sheerly for a subtle hint of colour.

EYES

• Urban Decay shadows in Drink me, Eat me and Madhatter from the Alice in Wonderland palette - I have been wearing these most days, it's an easy neutral combo that is perfect for work.
• Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Teal - again I got this as part of the AIW palette. It looks gorgeous on the waterline and takes my work look from day to night by adding some welcome colour.
  
• The Body Shop Metallic Eye Definer in Burnished Amber - this is another one I love on the waterline especially for summer when I am tanned (fake of course) and wearing bronze colours on eyes, lips or cheeks (but never all at once).

BODY

• Xen Tan - After a rocky start I think I have now bonded with the wonder of xen tan and I am now sporting a gorgeous natural looking tan that fades without leaving harsh lines or streaking - review coming up shortly ...
  

FRAGRANCE

• Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne - this is a deliciously fruity fragrance with hints of peach and plum as well as the obvious nectarine and honey, perfect for day wear and I always get asked what I'm wearing :)
  

NAILS

• Anything goes! I have been mixing it up with leopard print, bows, stripes and flowers on my nails. Perfect way of getting use of your polishes in one go

SHOES

• Topshop Wedges - these were purchased as part of a birthday treat as I loved the blush/nude colour and lace up front. Despite how they might look, they are actually really comfy. Honest.

CLOTHES

• New Look Harem Jumpsuit - I adore this. So comfy, so versatile and perfect for sunny weather. Easy to dress up with a belt, necklace, wedges or go casual in flip flops.

I probably have loads more I could chat about but this post has to end somewhere. For July, I am already predicting a return to brights on the lips (pink in particular) and pretty dresses ... yay for Summer!

x

FOTD - Sundown Glow

Last night I was asked to join an evening out with my husband and work colleagues but I literally had about half an hour or so to get ready!

I knew I had to do a quick make up look and also wanted something that was simple enough so I could cart the make up with me wherever I went. So on I donned the new Christopher Kane dress, teamed with opaque tights, platforms and a blazer and as for make up here is the rundown ...
Face:
Mac SFF mixed with Lustre Drops sunrush
Mac Select cover up concealer
Nars Laguna bronzer with dusting of Prestige Glam Tan over the top
Nars Orgasm blush

Lips:
Barry M Peachy Pink and a clear plumping gloss on top

Eyes:
The Body Shop Eye Trio in Sundown Glow
Mac Carbon to define
Bobbi Brown Gel liner in Caviar
Jemma Kidd Corrector pencil on lower lash line
Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

I chose to use the Body Shop eye trio as I could take all 3 eyeshadows in one little compact container instead of bulking my bag with individual eyeshadows or a bigger palette. I really like this little trio and the quality and longevity of the shadow is great. I have recently been using sleek palettes and my final conclusion is that although they are great value for money, I personally hate the quality of them and the colours and textures don't sit well with my skin. I think when i tried the body shop trio I did expect it to be the same kind of quality but I was pleasantly surprised! It's a great product to reach for when you are in a hurry and think I may add it to my work make up bag which I do try and keep as minimal as possible.

In the end my night out actually got cancelled so I was all dressed up with nowhere to go :( Oh well!

x

Products i'm McLovin!

A few posts ago I shared the products that weren't really doing it for me at the moment so now it's time to share the products that are floating my boat!;)

1) The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Lip Balm
This is from a new range at TBS. This lip balm feels lovely and moisturising on the lips, smells nice and has the slightest tint and sheen to it. It's great for on the go and can be worn over lippy too so to tone down the colour. This range also do the burning oils (is that what they are called?) for at home which I am also loving!


2) MAC Moisturelush Cream
I purchased this last month for the first time. My skin once again is going through a rough patch and I honestly put it down to all the messing about with different products that I do. A MUA recommended this ... in fact, I should add it was an MUA with to die for skin so I put my trust in her 100%. I have to say the tip off has bode well and my skin is feeling lovely and smooth with this and dare I say it, younger! The cream is rich and thick in texture and warmed up a little it is easily massaged into the skin. I wear this at night as for me it is too thick as a morning cream. My skin is far from perfect but I do believe I need to work from the inside out to achieve that *pledges to drink more water*

3) MAC All That Glitters and Glamour Check
Admittedly, All That Glitters is a bit of a cult favourite and probably needs very little explanation but the reason it is in my favourites just now is because I have been wearing it most often teamed with Glamour Check (see previous FOTD post) and I am loving the results. Glamour Check is a lovely deep, warm brown with burgundy reflects. I have been creating a daytime smokey eye with this and for night time I add some definition using carbon or beauty marked. I would say that Glamour Check is very very close to Twinks and Antiqued so if you already have those then there may be no need for this product.

4) MAC Vegas Volt
I blogged about this a few posts ago and it was my holiday product winner! The tone of the coral-orange is just gorgeous and is versatile for day or night time wear. I'm off on holiday next week again and this is definitely coming with me :)
5) Bobbi Brown Colour Corrector in light bisque
I love my concealer, i pack it on especially under my eyes, however a few weeks ago while visiting Bobbi Brown the MUA suggested instead of packing on the concealer ensure I used my colour corrector more readily (already in my stash) and I should feel less need to layer up on the concealer. You know what? She was right! I've been using the colour corrector every day and I there is definitely less concealer wastage. This particular colour corrector is a light pink in appearance and it counteracts purple tones (undereye dark circles) in the skin. This really is a wonder product for me.

6) Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Sand
I mentioned in a previous post that YSL perfect touch really wasn't doing me any favours in the beauty stakes and vowed to stick to what I know. Well, this is what I know! Bobbi Brown foundation stick is what I wore on my wedding day and my skin looked flawless so going back to this has been a bit of a saviour. It is medium coverage but can be built up to full coverage without looking cakey, thick or greasy. I find it gives me a radiant glow and lasts the full day too which is a major plus point for me!

That's my top products of the moment, what are your favourites just now?

x

The Body Shop - Thank You!

Last week The Body Shop held a beauty bloggers event in London. I had been invited to this but unfortunately I had already a booked a night at the Edinburgh Festival for my husbands birthday so I couldn't attend.

After catching up with some blogs after it, I thought their new make up collection was worth a look but before I got a chance to go and have a look I was sent a bag of goodies in the post!! I was absolutely wowed by what was sent and have to say a big Thank You to The Body Shop for their generosity! They are well known for being a fantastic, ethical brand and I really feel the girls at the Body Shop are a real credit to the company, it's a lovely personal touch to still be thought of even when you have missed an event.

So on to the goods!
First up is 11, yes 11 lipsticks!! I find it hard to pick lipsticks for myself so when i tried all 11 and they all suited or just the very fact I liked them all was a real surprise! Some of the girls are absolutely lush. So far I am loving numbers 59, 60, 69 and 71. Sorry I do not have the correlating names, I should have done my research before starting this post!
I was also sent this blush in 'Warm Sunset'. It is a mix of bronzey, terracotta shades. You can use the 3 shades seperately but I have applied by just swirling them all together. I absolutely love the warm glow it gives me and it has been a staple in my make up bag this week. It did crack a little on transit but still ok to use.
Then there are these 2 eyeshadow trio's in (from left to right) sundown glow and moonlight lustre. I am yet to try them out to be honest but I love the colours so will hopefully to a little fotd with them at some point soon. Finally, we have these gorgeouse eye pencils. The colours are so bright and vibrant and just quite simply, something a little bit different than your usual browns, blacks and greys. I do love a coloured liner, I usually wear on my waterline to add a little bit of colour to an otherwise neutral eye. From left to right we have; Shimmering Steel, Brilliant Blue, Glowing Amethyst, Vibrant Emerald and Burnished Amber. They are so smooth and velvet-like to apply, I will really enjoying playing with these :)

I was also sent some bodycare items which I have been using since I received and really love so I will blog about them seperately in a future post.

I would definitely recommend the new autumn make up range from The Body Shop, the previous collection wasn't so good for me but this definitely makes me want to go back and repurchase :)

What do you guys think of it? Have you checked it out yet?

Festival Glam - Part 5 - FOTF!

It has been quite a few weeks since my last festival post so now that T in the Park has been and gone I thought I would show you my FACE OF THE FESTIVAL and what products I used while I was there and also while I was at a mini festival called The Wee Chill (pre-lude to the Big Chill).

Getting ready at our camp was so much fun, my friend is a hairdresser so while she transformed our batiste ridden barnets I set about doing everyones make up! So much fun but make up isn't as easy to apply after a few glasses of vodka!! ;) I tried to keep my make up stash fairly simple but had enough to change up the look if I needed to.

Here are some pics of my FOTF featuring special guest 'G'This was the first night of the festival - I created a smokey eye with shimmer cubes and Girls Aloud False lashes (nicola) ... I wasn't intending on such a moody pose, I was having a good time, honest!
This is the look I stuck to most over the weekend. A quick and simple slick of liner with colourful lips. The lip colour changed a few times over the weekend from Mac Lady Danger to Barry M Peachy Pink. I don't know why I look like I am trying to hold my head up - lets blame it on the drink ;pI enlisted the help of my trusty Mac Studio Fix Fluid and Mac Select Cover up concealer - they cover a multitude of sins. My blush of choice was Nars Orgasm which the whole camp loved and all took note of to purchase after the weekend! I was also wearing glitter liner in this photo but the camera doesn't seem to have picked it up.
G and myself and my favourite vintage sunglasses! They used to belong to my Dad in the 80's ... I am sure he must have bought them for a couple of pounds from a petrol station back in the day but i LOVE them!!

The whole weekend was fantastic with most of it being spent in the Slam Tent seeing Felix da Housecat, 2many Djs, Laurent Garnier, Simian Mobile Disco and The Streets. Also made time to see Lily Allen, Florence & the Machine, Razorlight, The View, Pet Shop Boys, Pendulum and of course Blur!

The Wee Chill happened about a month before hand. It is marketed as a mini festival and is a day and night long event with lots of different stages/clubs. Our friends band were performing so we made sure to see him before hitting Sub Club room for all night dancing!
I realise we look like a bunch of hooligans with our cans of Carlsberg but it was all the bar had left!! Desperate times .....

Again I stuck to the fail safe liquid liner and bright lip - this time mixing Mac Impassioned with a bubblegum pink by Barry M (not sure of the no.)

How has everyone else got on with their festival make up? Share your looks :)

x

My Landaaan Swap!

A couple of weeks ago my favourite Essex girl Natalia from I would go out tonight but ... and I decided to do a little impromptu make-up and fashion swap!

Here is the fab goodies I received fron Natalia:The contents are as follows:

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist
Models Own nail polish in Orange Sorbet
The Body Shop Born Lippy in Cool Mint
Miss Sporty concealer pencil
Pearl necklace with bow detail
Barry M Lip Paint in 54 Peach

Natalia had mentioned she was worried she might double on some things I already had ... she did double on the Vitamin E Face Mist but I was so so pleased that she had sent me this as I was running out of my current bottle. It came along at just the right time and it is such a favourite of mine so yay!

Natalia had seen a previous post of mine where I styled a Mango jumpsuit and she thought that the Models Own nail polish and Barry M lip paint would compliment the outfit nicely. Well she was right! I have only used the polish on my toes so far but it is gorgeous - sorry I really can't bring myself to show you my feet! However, here is a picture of the lipcolour ... i love it! Will need to incorporate this into a FOTD shortly to show you the full effect as this dodgy pics of my lips does not do it justice!

The Body Shops Born Lippy cool mint has now become a staple in my handbag and as Natalia had already suggested, it has now taken place of my previous favourite yes yes yes! Unlike others I do find yes yes yes! to be moisturising but the Born Lippy is extra moisturising and is also perfect for toning down bright lipsticks.

The surprise product for me is the Miss Sporty concealer pencil. Natalia suggested using this on the inner corners of the eye to highlight and on the waterline to brighten. It really is great for this... I have more news on this pencil to come in a future post!

By far, my favourite item has to be this gorgeous pearl necklace with bow detail. It is just so pretty and vintage inspired! I have worn it loads so far .... cute isn't it? A BIG BIG THANK YOU to Natalia for my fab goodies, I love them all!

x

The Body Shop - 20% Discount

You might remember a few months back I attended a Body Shop Beauty Bloggers Event? It was a fantastic day and we were all given some great treats and I have to say most of the products we received were real winners!

Well, today the lovely girls at The Body Shop got in touch as they are offering a 20% online discount to all bloggers and anyone who is an avid reader of beauty blogs.. They are offering this discount on a select choice of their fabulous products up until the 18 September 2009. Wow!

The codes below are against each product and can only be used once per online transaction. Discount codes are in BOLD.

Code: BLOG_SHIM for 20% off shimmer cubes.

These eyeshadow cubes are amazing! Check out some of my previous posts for looks I have created using the cubes... my particular favourite is the smoky eye. Love!

Code: BLOG_CAM for 20% off Camomile waterproof eye make up remover.

Most of you who have tried this will agree it is a fantastic product and really gets rid of all traces of eye make up whilst being kind to this sensitive area. It smells lovely too!

Code: BLOG_SCRUB for 20% off Vitamin C Cleansing Face Polish

I was lucky enough to have been sent this product after my skin consultation with The Body Shop. I use it once or twice a week and I find it leaves my skin feeling refreshed, smooth and soft.

Code: BLOG_MIST for 20% off Vitamin E Facial Mist

This is a wonder product for me. I try to carry it around wherever I go. It is perfect for travelling and keeping your skin hydrated while flying or just while you are on the go. It can freshen up a make up look and keep skin feeling soft and moisturised.

Hope you all get some goodies with these codes ... the products on offer really are fantastic and I can't recommend them all enough.

Enjoy xx

another little haul ...

While everyone is trying to save in blogland, it seems I am taking no notice. Tonight after work I headed to the shops with a friend. I wasn't looking for anything in particular but ended up picking up quite a few things.

First thing I picked up was this great straw trilby hat from Warehouse. I had been eyeing up an almost identical one in Topshop, but at £4 cheaper it was a bargain! I think this will be ideal for Ibiza and will go with so many things. Hats are a big thing in my household so its a welcome addition.
I have been looking for some new Gladiator sandals for a while and since my big shoe clearout this week, the hunt had upped a gear. When i seen these in New Look at a mere £25 I was over the moon. In my opinion they look much more expensive. I have still to road test them for comfort so fingers crossed they tick that box too!Next stop was Principles. I was lured in by the closing down sale as it has now gone into administration. I never shop in Principles unless I am buying something smart for work. I picked up this Missoni-esque long, slouchy waistcoat. The photo doesn't show it off too well. I plan to wear this with a little top or boob tube, probably with a belt pulling it all in at the waist and worn with little shorts and gladiator sandals and some chunky wooden jewellery to accesorize. I also picked up some a chunky wooden bangle and 2 smaller bangles with gold detailing.

Next purchase was another item I had originally seen in Topshop but at £35 I was holding out for something better .... thats until I stopped by Primarni!!! I picked up this near identical round, straw body bag. It also has a cool leopard print lining..... and the best bit ... it was only £6!!! Nearly a £30 difference!! whoopee! Here they are both picured alongside each other.
The photos aren't that clear but you get the idea. I will be taking this bag on holiday with me and possibly T in the Park too, although might not be the best if it pelts with rain the whole weekend!

Next stop was H&M where I picked up some more accessories. 2 rings and a wooden sharktooth necklace.

Finally, I went to The Body Shop. I bought 4 new home fragrance oils in 'Line Dried Cotton', smells of fresh clean washing out on the line, hmmm lovely. 'Satsuma' .. delicious smell. 'White Petals' .. such a pretty smell. Coconut ... reminds me of holidays and is burning away just now - hmmm Holiday ... Celebraaatee... ok, getting carried away now!I am quite pleased with tonights haul, quite a few bargains in there which always justifies the spend!
What do you think? Any bloomers in there you think i should be returning?

xx

YES YES YES!

I just wanted to do a really quick post on this as a) it is for such a worthy cause and b) its a great l'il product.

Its The Body Shop's Yes Yes Yes!, Oui Oui Oui! Lip butter. The Body Shop have teamed up with MTV to raise funds for the Staying Alive Foundation. This foundation helps to raise awareness on HIV and Aids and this campaign is specifically aimed to remind people to say Yes! to safe sex.
The lip butter contains extracts of dragonfruit (smells lush!), Shea butter and organic beeswax which combined promotes moisture and conditioning of the lips. The butter itself applies very pale to the lips and is perfect for a nude lip or for toning down a bright lippy (which i had to do in work today ... Raspberry lips rock but when you are the only female at a contract review with your client, then it ain't such a good look!)

This Lip butter is £5 from The Body Shop but £3.98 (yes, that much!!) goes to the foundation, which i think is fabulous!
x

Dry Skin Rescue

For anyone who met me at the Body Shop Event (sorry, feel like we are all going on and on about this ... I will try and make this my last post about it for a while) ... they may have noticed the issues I had with dry skin on my face.

A couple of weeks beforehand, I had an almighty outbreak of spots .... this is totally foreign to me .... I didn't even suffer spots or acne as a teenager so feel very lucky to have got off lightly with that one. I thought my spots were caused by using Chanel Pro Lumiere but this has yet to be confirmed (thinking of giving it another go this week!).

Another week or 2 later after switching my make up, I started to notice the skin on my face becoming really dry. All round my eyes and all over my cheeks and even my chin was so dry it was starting to crack. I was scared to smile as I knew this would crack the skin and it also looked like wrinkles if I did this, so I had a couple of weeks of looking glum ... which is actually quite difficult for me, I'm usually a bit of a happy chappy! I did find out the culprit though, Benefit make up. I had recently purchased Boing and had been using this as concealer under my eyes and on blemishes and had also used some other Benefit products ... forgetting that the reason I stopped using them in the first place was because they dried my skin so badly.

I tried using my husbands very strong eczema cream and also my own little collection of expensive moisturisers, exfoliaters etc but I always looked dirty, caked and just plain BLAH! Well, Thank goodness I went to The Body Shop last week because I came away with quite a few products that seem to have worked wonders for my dry skin.

I've changed up my routine a bit this week and it seems to be doing the trick. At night I am removing my make up with Body Shop Camomile Eye Make Up Remover then using the Vitamin E Wipes all over my face (they feel so soft and a little silky compared to other branded face wipes) ... after that I using my foam wash and tone using a darphin toner. Then I apply Body Shops Vitamin E Facial Oil .. this product is amazing.. a few of the girls have raved about it since Thursday and I can only confirm their satisfaction with this product. When you think it comes in at roughly £15 ... this is only a fraction of the cost of say, a decleor oil and it does the same job if not better.

After the oil, on alternate evenings, I have either been applying Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream (an amazing product for dry skin) or Vitamin C Plus Time Release Capsules. The Vitamin E Cream has a lovely scent and its pink! It feels lovely and soothing on the skin and perfectly compliments the oil which acts as a pre moisturiser. The Vitamin C Capsules are twisted to open then you can apply to your face. The formulation of this feels so rich and silky, it feels like a silk mask is being applied to the face... lush!With this new routine, within 48 hours I noticed a vast improvement to the condition of my skin. It feels much smoother and more hydrated than last week. At last I am able to wear foundation again without it looking scaly.

I will mix this routine up from time to time but will definitely be sticking with the Vitamin E Oil and Vitamin E Intensive moisturising cream.

Sugarsweet and more shimmer cubes

I had lots of blog posts planned for last night and tonight but I have been busy, busy, busy so thought I would quickly show you my look for yesterday.

First of all ... Sugarsweet ... my plan was to buy lollipop loving and refined MSF. I only bought lollipop loving. The MSF just seemed a little too pale so i left it behind. In the tube lollipop loving looks so gorgeous with little reflects of gold and green but to be honest, I think i kind of look like someone's gran with it on! Maybe, i will get used to it or find other colours that go better with it.

For yesterdays look, I decided to go a little girly and used another of my Body Shop gifts ... Shimmer Cube Palette 18. These are all pastel like colours which i usually steer clear from as I really don't think they suit me. I usually go for neutrals, greys, blacks or bold jewel like tones.

(terrible ... no, awful picture I know but it was a cam phone effort ..sorry)
FACE
Prescriptives mineral foundation
Nars Laguna
Mac Dollymix
Body Shop Shimmer wave to highlight
EYES
Body Shop Shimmer cube in palette 18
2. Precious pink all over lid
4. Silver sparkle in the crease
1. Pearly white on the brow bone
3. Green shimmer underneath the eye
Illamasqua Medium pencil in black
YSL Faux Cils mascara
LIPS
Zara lip pencil in Rose
Mac Lollipop Loving

I think it is safe to say these colours aren't very me and don't really compliment my colouring in anyway but it was good to change it up for the day.

I also wore this cute little butterfly clip from H&M... so springlike!
You might notice my hair looking a bit better too - at last! Its all thanks to The Body Shops Olive shampoo and conditioner. It seems to have breathed a bit of life and gloss back into my hair. It did make it a little fluffy however, but I was happy to deal with that as long as it wasn't looking dead like it has done. I have a visit booked for the hair fairy on Saturday though so that should solve my hair crisis for good!!

Smoky Eyes with the Body Shop

I am sure most of you will know by now that I was at the Body Shop beauty bloggers event on Thursday (photos to follow). It was a great day and was so lovely to meet other bloggers who i follow on a daily basis, everyone was so nice. The Body Shop girls were all so kind to us and at the end of the day we came away with the most amazing goody bags. I am seriously overwhelmed at the amount of booty we took home! Truly amazing! Anyway, I can see from now on I will be blogging about the Body Shop a lot as already I have tonnes of stuff to fill you in on about my new products!

Anyway, todays blog plan took a bit of a shift when I started swatching some make up. I love a smoky eye and try lots of different colour combos but my all time favourite smoky look has got to be these ... Mary Kate Olsen and Abigail Clancy. I love the browny/bronzy sultry appearance.


So, this morning I applied some make up as normal (I am spring cleaning today, so no 'look' required). However, when i noticed my new Body Shop shimmer cubes, I decided to try on .... using fingers only ... and here is what I came up with ..... a smoky eye that is not too dissimilar to the above.
Here is how I put the look together:
FACE
Laura Mercier Primer
YSL Touche eclat
Prescriptives Mineral Foundation
Nars Laguna
Mac Ambering Rose blush
Body Shop Shimmer Wave in 01 Bronze to highlight (lovely product)
EYES
UDPP
Body Shop Shimmer Cube in Palette 6
- 3.Marshmallow all over the lid and the inner corner
- 1.Honeycomb washed over the lid again but starting a little further in that marshmallow and following slightly under the eye
- 4.Choc Chip at the outer corner
- 2. Dark Chocolate in the outer V of the eye and underneath the eye. I layered this on quite thick.
(all eyeshadow applied using fingers only - this was a tip from The Body Shop's MUA Chase Aston, who was at Thursday's event)
Dior Black Liner for on the upper lashline and waterline
YSL Faux Cils Mascara

Eyebrows - The Body Shop Brow & Liner Kit

LIPS
Rimmel Lipstick in Foxy
The Body Shop Liquid Lip Colour in Golden Coral

I am absolutely loving the shimmer cubes and will be trying out the 2 others from the other goody bag. I will report on their durability once I have tried a few more times. Anyway, hope you like. I will post photos soon of the day itself and the other bloggers I met. Ooh and we also spotted Nic Chapman of Pixiwoo in Mac Pro. She is as gorgeous in the flesh as she is in her videos. Poor girl must have thought she'd bagged herself a set of stalkers .. we all stared but no one dared speak to her! Very funny indeed.

p.s, my hair is not greasy in these pics, it was an accident with the CHI silk infusion .. which i do really need to stop using as CHI products really kill my hair!

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