Mac Haul

So, I was perusing a Mac counter and obviously had to purchase.

I went for Angel lipstick as I have wanted this subtle pink for a while. I wore it out on Saturday night with a bit of carmex over the top to give a sheen and was very impressed.

As summer is coming up I wanted to add to my collection of bright lipsticks. I went for Impassioned, an amplified creme shade that is a bright fuchsia pink. I will try this baby when I have a tan and whilst on holiday as I feel it won't look so hot on my pale skin at the moment.

I also had to get well dressed blusher as I have heard so many people rave about this. I was surprised that it seems very sheer and the colour pay off is not as much as I expected, but I am pleasantly surprised as I feel it gives a nice hint of colour but can also be layered for more intensity.

Last is the Prep and Prime finishing powder. I wanted to try this as either a primer type base for makeup or as a finishing powder. I had been using MSF natural to set my foundation but I wasn't too keen as I didn't need the extra coverage (all be it very slight) and felt it didn't do much to the longevity of my foundation. I like the idea that the prep and prime is loose as I feel it is a softer finish on the skin. It claims to give a "flawless finish", and as that is what I'm after, I thought I would give it a whirl. We shall see how I get on with that as I haven't played around with it that much.

Does anyone else have any of these products?

xxx

Eyelash extensions

A while ago when I was living in London I came across the idea of eyelash extensions. Now, as I worked in central London in a store selling makeup and beauty items I always felt the need to look my best. When I first found out of a place to have them done I immediately had to have them done, even with the £100 ish price tag. Yes, expensive I know but they look so pretty! I'm a sucker for long eyelashes and would love to be naturally blessed with them but that is not the case I'm afraid, so alternative measures needed to be found.

I use false eyelashes for a night out and have tried Talkia eyelash growth treatment which you apply to your lashes for a few months and they are supposed to grow slightly and fall out less. Yes, that is what it did and my eyelashes were a bit longer and definitely fell out less. But that was about it, I still use it every now and again when I feel I need it but I still didn't have the effective I was longing for.

So I found a mobile beauty therapist who specialised in Jinnylashes (supposedly the best ones for this kind of thing) and I had them applied to my lashes, lash by lash for around 1 and a half to 2 hours - yes a long long time to lie on a flat beauty couch and let me tell you my bum was very numb by the end of it! So I walked away with lots and lots of lashes applied to my lash line to create a lovely long lash effect. I was so pleased with the results. They lasted in perfect condition for about 4 weeks and slowly one by one fell out with my own eyelashes. Towards the end I did have some randomly long extensions left which did look a bit odd but I managed to soak them off with an oily eye make up remover.

I didn't have to wear mascara, however on nights out I applied a special oil free mascara that would not ruin the lashes, just to give a bit more of a dramatic look. I could not use an oil based remover so used 'simple' eye makeup remover as it contains no oils which would remove the lashes.

I loved them. I really did. I could have had infills when they started to fall out which would be cheaper than the initial payment but I didn't want to keep up with the maintenance and only really wanted them for a special occasion.

At the time I had them I didn't really take any pictures of the lashes themselves but I have many pictures of them where I randomly blinked at the wrong time whilst someone took a picture so they are not great but the best I can do.

Has anyone thought about or had eyelash extensions?

xxx

SOS

I like this product a lot. It helps with those pesky spots and with any hormonal or stressed out skin, and sometimes my skin does feel stress yes. This is the Elemis SOS Emergency Cream. It comes in a 50ml pump and I believe is about £48.Yes, it is expensive but a little goes a long way.

It is supposed to be a treatment moisturiser that can be used daily to all or any part of your face. I only really use this at times of need, for example when I get a spot or my skin looks like it needs some extra help, an I use it at night as it seems a little sticky. I like the scent as it is calming and relaxing, which is probably due to the lavender it contains.

I have had this pump for well over 6 months and I still have a fair amount left. I really think it helps my skin restore and balance itself and helps reduce the size and appearance of any blemishes. I got this product after I had an Elemis facial as it was recommended to me for my hormonal skin. I tend to only get spots due to hormones and they are mainly in the chin area. I have also tried many of the other Elemis products in the past but this one is a firm favourite as I have not really found anything else on the market for this purpose and this effecitve.

xxx

Here comes the sun....

Continuing on the theme of sun (can you tell I love the summer!) I thought I'd post about the sun care I shall be using whilst on holiday. I'm going to Turkey for just a week to stay in my parents apartment with one of my friends for just a girly chill out for a week, I can't wait.


Usually I am fairly picky with my facial sun care as I'm fussy about not wanting products to break me out and I like a product that is catered for the face as well and not just the body. For my body I just use Ambre Soliare that my parents use so I just use their products but for my face I use something different. Last year I used Clarins, which I like but this year I thought I'd try something different. This time I have gone for Liz Earle as I like their products for my face and don't have a problem with my face care breaking me out. This product is the mineral sun cream and it can be used for face and body. I found this little 30ml size on Ebay (a new product to the line so was confident it wasn't last years spf which would have expired.) It is SPF 20, which is what I normally use for my face and it seems to be made of many natural ingredients. The consistency however does seem fairly thick - something I'm no too sure about for my face, but I'm going to give it a whirl anyway. Hopefully it wont break me out or cause any excess shine or greasy feeling, something that I do not need when lying on a beach or for anytime really.


For my after sun for the face I'm sticking with my Clarins After sun Replenishing Moisture care for face and decollete - a bit of a mouthful but I love the smell, its really hydrating and I like the thick consistency for over night. I shall also use the Lancaster After sun for my face as well as body as it is designed to use on both. Overall I should be well protected and well hydrated for my holiday, so bring on the sun!

xxx

I'm just about ready for the sun

Every year I try and prepare my skin the best that I can to ensure I get the best tan possible. I looooooove to tan and love sunbathing and often use products to help me achieve the most from the sun as well as an spf of course. Last year for example, I used Declerors Tan accelerator Pre sun Care, a product for face and body that is applied about 5 days before your holiday/prolonged exposure to the sun, and it is supposed to prepare your skin so that it will tan better and burn less. In general I don't really burn, unless I really over do it. The Decleor product was ok and my tan was pretty good, but this year I was on the hunt for something better.


This year I went for the Elemis Tan accelerator (featured in another blog post) as I have heard many good things about it and I'm a bit of a fan of the brand. This one is used for 1-2 weeks before exposure to the sun and is mainly for the body, or so the sales assistant told me. I'm going to try and use it on my face as I don't really want an uneven tan, not a good look, and am going to try and use it for 2 weeks before I go and maybe a couple of days while I'm on holiday too if I have enough product left. I have high hopes for this product as it comes highly recommended in articles I have seen and the sales assistant told me that its always so popular in summer (not that I always believe them, but to be fair there was only one left so it must be quite popular.)

The lotion is fairly light in consistency and is a light brown colour. It contains jojoba oil, shea butter and macadamia nut oil for example, so if nothing else it sounds pretty moisturising and should hydrate my skin. It contains tyrosine which is supposedly the "amino acid naturally present in the body and is used by skin cells to form melanin". This seems to be what will boost the skin to help it tan quicker and better by preparing the skin, all very scientific but I like the sound of it.


I'm also going to use Lancaster's Tan maximiser whilst on holiday as my after sun at night. This comes recommended by my friends and my mum, and I'm not too sure why I'm yet to try it, as it seems like something I would have used before now. Anyway, this product contains "heliosome", an exclusive Lancaster complex that helps stimulate the melanin in the skin. It claims to create "a more intense, longer lasting tan, soft, supple, radiant skin that is better prepared for subsequent sun exposure" (taken from the packaging) Sounds pretty good to me.

Boy is my melanin going to be stimulated with all of these products, I expect a lovely deep golden glow! I will comment again on the results after my holiday in a few weeks time, during which time I'm also going to try out the Rodial Tummy Tuck sticks in an attempt to appear more streamlined in the stomach area, well I can live in hope on that one....

xxx

Ins and Outs

In

♥ The sunshine, wooooo we finally have some.

♥ Going on holiday in a month, not too long now!

♥ Clarins Moisute replenishing lip balm, really hydrating.

♥ My new Sigma brushes, love them!

♥ Topshop 'Flush' cream blusher, great on its own or layered underneath a powder product to help blusher last longer.

♥ Nars 'Chihuahua' lip gloss, a great "my lips but better" lipgloss shade.


Out

♥ Not being able to enjoy the sun as I have to work

♥ Feeling like I don't have enough holiday clothes

♥ Hair Mousse, it seems to leave my hair greasy and does'nt help with the volume


xxx

Controversial but i'm not sure that I like it.....

I only have one Mac Mineralize Skinfinish and that is is By Candlelight. Now I know many people love MSFs and By Candlelight seems to be a fairly popular one but I'm not so sure I like it. Maybe I'm applying in wrong or I'm applying too much but I find it fairly bold and it seems to make my foundation wear off quicker. I apply it to the top of my cheekbones and I feel that my skin is far from a candlelight glow. I'm not too sure on the colour, maybe its too peachy toned for me but I'm not a lover.


I know I prefer liquid or cream highlighters such as highbeam/moonbeam by benefit and my Jemma Kidd dewy glow but I do have other powder highlighters that I prefer more than this. I love the idea of MSFs (and love the natural one) but this one put me off them and have yet to purchase any more. Maybe it will look better in summer when my skin is a few shades darker, but for now, I'm not a fan.

xxx